Dadam mining incident: Haryana Mining minister holds high-level meeting, asks SIT to submit report in 15 days

At least five people were killed and two others were injured after a landslide at Tosham’s Dadam mining zone in Bhiwani district on January 1.

Talking to media persons, after the meeting, Sharma said, “On January 1, an accident took place in Dadam mining zone in which five people lost their lives, while three sustained injuries. The FIR that was lodged on the complaint of brother of one of the victims was withdrawn because the contractor-company had given financial assistance of Rs 10-15 lakh to the victims’ kin. A Special Investigation Team is probing the incident and a report is expected within 10-15 days. Further action shall be taken based on the findings of the probe report. The guilty shall not be spared.”

He said that instructions have been issued to the officers to take action against all such people who are indulging in illegal mining. A team of DGMS, Ghaziabad is also probing the incident to ascertain the quantum of negligence, if any, on the part of contractor-company or the workers.

Leader of Opposition, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, has meanwhile also visited the Dadam mining site and demanded that the CBI investigate the mining scam in Haryana under the supervision of a High Court Judge.

“Haryana’s biggest scam till date has happened in Dadam. Villagers came to me with evidence and documents that exposed the scam and told me that illegal mining is going on in the area for many years. Villagers and social workers of the area also submitted a memorandum to me against the mining mafia and said the mining mafia have also forcibly occupied private lands of the people and have also done illegal mining there. In many places, excavations have been done to a depth of 800-900 feet,” Hooda said.

“It seems as if the mining mafia is playing with danger and a death trap has been laid for the poor labourers. Here the mountains are being dug and all rules have been flouted with impunity. At first glance, it can be clearly seen that regardless of the mining rules, vertical mining was done at an angle of 90 degrees, while according to rules mining is allowed till 60 degree angle only. This is why the fatal accident took places. Cases under Section 302 and 304 of Indian Penal Code should be registered against the culprits of the accident but the government has tried to save them by registering a case under milder sections”, Hooda said while interacting with the media persons.

“People have continuously filed complaints to the government in this matter and it has also reached the NGT and observations have also been made by many agencies of the Centre, SDO, NGT and court that there is a scam of thousands of crores of rupees. The mining mafia has made the mountain into a lake by digging up to 400 feet. They did not even bother about the groundwater level as they dug below that. The mining contractors finished Dadam Minor by mining”, Hooda added.

“Strictest action should be taken against the mining mafia and the culprits of this accident. Along with this, a committee of the Legislative Assembly should also be formed which should keep an eye on mining from Yamuna to Dadam. This has become necessary because there is a lot of mining scam happening not only in Dadam but even in Yamuna. The mining mafia has even changed the course of Yamuna stream by illegal digging,” Hooda said.

Hooda later also visited Baganwala village, where one of the deceased Binder, who was the victim of the accident, lived and met his family members. “The state government should announce fair compensation, a government job each for the victim’s family and give them justice. According to the rules, the mining company in Dadam had to pay Rs 33 crores till now for the development of Dadam village but the company has so far not made the payment. The payment should also be made to the company at the earliest,” Hooda said.