The Himachal Pradesh High Court today questioned Virbhadra Singh Government in the State regarding the open onslaught by mining Mafia causing major devastation in the monsoon rain beside it has also seeked report on dramatic transfer of honest and active administrative and police officers who had taken the mafia head on.
The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir and Justice Sandeep Sharma passed these orders on a petition taken up suo-moto by the Court as Public Interest Litigation on a news item regarding reign of mafia and regressive action on the honest and hard-working officers done.
The High Court today ordered the State to come up with the action taken report against to curb mining mafia throughout the State and the guilty officers harbouring the mining mafia. The order said that mine mafia had constructed the road for the illicit querying was dismantled in Palampur location in District Kangra.
The State should explain the reasons for collapsing of the Kandrouri Bridge near Indora, District Kangra, on 11thAugust, 2016 disrupting road communication between Pathankot and Indora and to explain the reasons necessitated the government to transfer of DC Una and ASP Baddi.
The two officers were reportedly taken action against on the behalf of mine mafia by the State government. The court observed that state should come up with entire record relating to the transfers of these officers on next hearing.
Court takes serious cognizance of report that SDM Palampur had received complaints from the residents of Sulaha area that illegal mining was going on unchecked in Neugal River near Paror at Palampur damaging local paths, water channels, road and cremation ground.
Illegal mining was not only resulting in large-scale environmental degradation but also causing loss to the state exchequer as the mining material was being lifted without paying royalty to the state. During hearing of the petition it was observed by the court that it is not understandable where the district administration was sleeping when the mining mafia was constructing the road.
