Explainer: Illegal mining and its challenges before administration
Illegal mining, transportation of mining minerals and overloading have always been a big issue in Yamunanagar district, posing a number of challenges before the local administration, including the Mines and Geology Department, Police Department, Regional Transport Authority and other departments. The unauthorised business is causing revenue loss to the government, damage to roads and the ecosystem and road accidents. The local administration has been taking steps to curb this illegal work from time to time, but has failed to nail the mafia behind this lucrative illegal business.
How many mining blocks are there in Yamunanagar district?
There are 32 legal mining blocks/quarries in Yamunanagar district, but only five mining blocks are operational at present. Out of the five blocks, four blocks are of sand. Only one block is of bajri, gravel and sand (BGS). The remaining 27 mining blocks are lying non-functional due to a number of reasons. One of these being the tenure of blocks coming to an end and fee of several blocks not being deposited.
How many screening plants and stone crushers are there in the district?
As per data of the Haryana Mines and Geology Information System (HMGIS), a portal of the Mines and Geology Department; Yamunanagar district has 266 screening plants and 189 stone crushers.
What is the reason behind illegal mining?
There is a need of raw mining material (a mixture of bajri, gravel and sand/BGS) to run the screening plants. At present, only one mining block of BGS is operational in Kanalsi village. One mining block can’t cater the needs of raw mining material of all 266 screening plants. Therefore, the screening plants either have to purchase expensive raw mining material from outside Yamunanagar district or these (some of them) have to steal the mining material from within the district. The screening plants supply gravel to stone crushers, which crush gravel to prepare bajri, core-sand and other items.
What are the sources of illegal mining?
Yamuna river and several other seasonal rivulets flow in Yamunanagar district. A large quantity of mining minerals is available in Yamuna and other seasonal rivulets throughout the year. Therefore, mining mafia steal the raw mining material from these rivers to cater the need of raw mining materials of the screening plants and stone crushers. Besides, the mining mafia buys raw mining minerals illegally from farmers from the areas where mining is not allowed by the government.
What steps have been taken by the local administration?
After taking charge of the district a few months ago, Deputy Commissioner Parth Gupta has taken several concrete steps, including setting up of 11 check posts and forming several teams of different departments to stop illegal mining, illegal transportation of mining minerals and overloading. As a result of the efforts being made by the local administration, there is a check on illegal mining activities in the district at the moment.
What action has been taken?
From January 1, 2025 to March 31, 2025, teams of the local administration have seized 260 vehicles to stop illegal mining, illegal transportation of mining minerals and overloading. During this period, 107 FIRs were registered in connection with illegal transportation of mining minerals and 17 FIRs for carrying out illegal mining. The teams also imposed fines on violators. Similarly, 959 vehicles were seized from January to December in 2024. As many as 185 FIRs were registered against violators for allegedly being involved in illegal transportation of mining minerals and 40 FIRs for carrying out illegal mining. During the checking drive, the teams have impounded vehicles which are transporting mining minerals illegally without e-transit passes/e-rawanas. The teams are also trying to stop overloading.
Haryana Tribune