Mining can cause bunkers to cave in, restrict movement space: Army

“Mining will also restrict movement space and thereby incur associated delays in reinforcement and counter-attack tasks,” the affidavit adds.

The affidavit was placed before a division bench of Chief Justice Ravi Shanker Jha and Justice Arun Palli It was filed on behalf of Army by Captain Ashima Das, Officer In-charge PH and HP (I) Sub Area, Station HQ, Chandimandir, through senior government counsel Arun Gosai. However, the affidavit was not taken on record by the HC, and it was directed to be filed through the registry.

The affidavit was filed in compliance of the order dated August 30, wherein the HC had directed the Centre to obtain report from the Army authorities in respect of the damage caused to the spurs and bunkers owing to the mining activities in the area concerned and the threat that the national security is faced with.

In the affidavit, the Army has mentioned that “the mining would affect the structural integrity and strength of the bunkers in the proximity…the mining of river bed is likely to change the course of the river and alter the depth of the river at various places, thereby disrupting the defence layouts…the mining will affect the natural drainage of water which would lead to unpredictable flooding”.

The army in another related petition to illegal mining in Pathankot and Gurdaspur, had earlier said that “illegal mining has been a facilitating factor towards the nexus between drug smugglers, terrorists and anti-national elements operating in the hinterland, nurtured and controlled by ISI…and also that unplanned and uncontrolled mining may cause changes in the natural water drainage and even change the course of river, resulting in Army posts being susceptible to flooding.”

The HC on August 29, had stayed mining activities in the Ravi riverbed in Gurdaspur and Pathankot. Earlier, during a previous hearing, the Border Security Force (BSF) had told the high court that mining activity in the border areas with Pakistan was being carried out round-the-clock. The sand mining is going on unabated and unchecked in Ravi river in close proximity to the international border, the BSF report had said.Besides affecting the future course of river Ravi, it is posing a huge threat to the security of the international border fence.

“The mining/excavation starts before sunrise and goes on till late night, sometimes even whole night. Presence of hundreds of labourers, whose antecedents have not been verified by the local police, so close to IB is perceived to be a big security hazard,” the BSF had said.

There have been many drone incursions from Pakistan, where the possibility of dropping contraband, arms/ammunition at their camp site/vehicles cannot be ruled out, as per the BSF report.