Yamunanagar: Miners build make-do passages over Yamuna, obstruct flow

Jaskaran Singh | TNN | Apr 30, 2020, 14:08 IST

The matter came to light on April 25 when the Haryana irrigation and water resources department executive engineer inspected the spot at Gumthala village

The matter came to light on April 25 when the Haryana irrigation and water resources department executive engi...Read More

YAMUNANAGAR: Following resumption of mining activity in Gumthala-Jathlana area of Yamunanagar district, some miners have started making makeshift passages over the Yamuna, obstructing its natural flow.
The matter came to light on April 25 when executive engineer (XEN) Sher Singh of the Haryana irrigation and water resources department (IWRD) inspected the spot at Gumthala village. He instructed area’s irrigation sub-divisional officer (SDO) Jasbir Singh to register a police case at Jathlana police station in this regard.
On Monday, the matter reached Radaur sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Pooja Chanwaria, who constituted a committee comprising district mining officer (DMO), area naib tehsildar, Jathlana station house officer (SHO) and Jathlana irrigation SDO, to investigate the matter and file a report by Tuesday. Although the committee visited the spot and inspected the makeshift passages, it could not submit its report that day.
SDM Pooja said, “I had asked the committee to submit a report on Tuesday itself, but I did not receive it until Wednesday evening. However, the irrigation department SDO has already written to the police to register a case in this regard and I have also instructed the committee to take strict action.”
Similar efforts were made last year by the mining mafia in several areas of Haryana besides Yamunanagar district.
In May 2019, the Delhi government and the Delhi high court had taken cognisance of the obstruction of Yamuna’s natural flow and asked special teams to visit Yamunanagar and file a report in this matter. Subsequently, the Haryana IWRD had removed the makeshift passages and cases were also registered against the mining mafia. However, during the lockdown, the mafia built the passages again.
Haryana anti-corruption society president advocate Varyam Singh has written a letter to the state government, expressing deep concern over such activity in the river. In his letter, Varyam demanded immediate ban on the mining activity, saying, “The people associated with mining have affected the Yamuna stream by constructing makeshift passages, which can prove be extremely harmful.”
XEN Sher Singh said a case would be filed in this regard on behalf of the department’s SDO Jasvir Singh.
Yamunanagar DMO Ashok said, “The sand mining started in Gumthala area of Yamunanagar from April 24 after approval, and mining lease was given to Elite Mines Corporation. A report will be submitted to the SDM Radaur in this matter.”