CHANDIGARH | Nov 23, 2017: Upset over the massive extraction of minerals by the contractor company in Dadam area of Bhiwani district, the Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday stayed all mining operations in the area. The court has also directed to deploy police force and a duty magistrate in the area "to monitor the minerals stocked by company and not to allow such material to be removed from the site".

Hinting at handing over the matter to the CBI for further investigation, the HC has also impleaded the CBI as party in the case. The court was of the view that in brazen violation of the time concession granted by the Supreme Court (SC), Sunder Marketing Associates of New Delhi was indulging in massive mining apparently far in excess to the limits and norms imposed in terms of the cancelled licence.

"The heaps of extracted minerals reveal the great hurry behind extracting maximum raw material before expiry of the deadline on November 30, 2017. Not only the huge stock, but there are hundreds of trucks deployed for transportation of the extracted material, obviously within the full knowledge and tacit support of the officials of the mining department," the HC observed after going through the photographs of the site.

A division bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Avneesh Jhingan passed these orders while hearing a petition filed by Satyawan, a resident of Dadam village.

Justice Surya Kant also observed that the owners whose land had been used for stocking the material had alleged non-payment of dues and the contractor company was in a hurry to remove the extracted minerals from the site and disappear from the scene, leaving the owners high and dry.

"It is also not known whether the company has paid government dues, royalty and other taxes, including huge expenditure to be incurred on the levelling of the area where ditches have been dug," observed the bench while adjourning the case for Monday.

The petitioner has submitted that heaps of extracted mines and minerals have been stored and stacked in Dadam by extensive mining operations just to meet the deadline of November 30. He further alleged that because of the mining activities, not only the entire area has been polluted but the extracted mines and minerals have been stacked and stored in the agriculture fields. Seeking strict action against the mining contractor company, the petitioner had also alleged connivance of local officials with the contractor company.

Court observations

"Not only the huge stock but there are hundreds of trucks deployed for transportation of the extracted material, obviously within the full knowledge and tacit support of officers of the mining department. The affected owners whose lands have been used for stocking the material have not been paid their dues and the contractor is in a great hurry to remove the extracted minerals from the site and disappear from the scene," Justice Surya Kant said.

(Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)