Reiterating the district administration’s powerful stand towards unlawful sand mining, deputy commissioner Mahavir Kaushik on Thursday directed officers to accentuate shock raids, impound autos and register instances.

While chairing a gathering of the district activity drive constituted to verify unlawful sand mining, the deputy commissioner (DC) directed the Panchkula and Kalka sub-divisional magistrates (SDM) in addition to block growth and panchayat officer (BDPO) and tehsildar involved to hold out checks with the district mining officer as soon as every week, and submits the action-taken report. He additionally requested forest officers to make sure no mining takes place within the forest space.

With particular deal with Kalka, Kaushik directed the Kalka SDM to rein in unlawful sand mining in Burjkotian, Jabrot, Dewanwala, Basola, Paploha, Karanpur, Charniya and Nanakpur village. “If landowners are caught allowing illegal mining on their land, fine them,” the DC stated.

He additionally directed the officers to examine screening vegetation and verify uncooked materials as soon as every week. “In case raw material is found to be from illegal source, the screening plant should be sealed,” added Kaushik.

District mining officer Om Dutt Sharma knowledgeable the assembly that 188 autos had been impounded. 1.11 crore positive was collected and 37 FIRs had been registered in Panchkula for unlawful sand mining from April 1, 20022 to March 2023.

He stated on this month alone, 16 autos had been impounded, 1.50 lakh was collected as positive and three FIRs had been registered in Kalka and Panchkula.

He added that two extra websites for sand mining had been allotted in Kot and Shaymtu village, taking on the district’s whole to seven.