Stone crusher sparks uproar, protests erupt in Paonta Sahib
A wave of public protests has swept across several villages in the Paonta Sahib region of Sirmaur district, as angry residents rallied against the operation of stone crushers and illegal mining activities. The unrest underscores long-standing concerns over environmental degradation, health hazards and what many describe as administrative apathy.
The issue has drawn added attention given that Industries, Parliamentary Affairs, Labour & Employment Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan — who also holds the mining portfolio — hails from the same district.
Tensions reached a boiling point during a public hearing at Nawada panchayat, where Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) LR Verma arrived to conduct proceedings for a proposed stone crusher project. The meeting was disrupted by villagers chanting slogans like “Down with the administration!” and physically blocking the ADC’s path, demanding the immediate cancellation of the project.
Residents voiced frustration over declining groundwater levels, dust pollution and the dangerous rise in tipper truck traffic. “The crusher will destroy our environment. Dust fills the air, crops are ruined and our children are falling sick,” said one protester. Many accused the police, Forest, Pollution Control and Mining Departments of turning a blind eye to violations and enabling the stone crusher lobby. “No dust control, no tree planting, no water sprinkling—yet NOCs are issued freely,” they added.
In a related protest in Bhagnani village, villagers stopped a JCB and a tipper truck allegedly involved in illegal excavation on private land. Locals condemned the administration’s “double standards,” noting that small tractor operators are regularly fined, while large tipper trucks carry out unregulated operations with impunity.
Former Bhagnani Congress Zone president Pradeep Chauhan joined the protest and backed the villagers’ demands. In a press statement, he condemned the unchecked mining and warned of escalating the issue to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. “Harshwardhan Chauhan is from this very district and holds the mining portfolio. If he doesn’t act, who will?” Chauhan said. He also pointed out the economic imbalance: over 170 local tractor operators rely on crusher operations for their livelihoods, but profits are reaped by a select few.
Residents from neighbouring panchayats raised similar alarms, alleging that illegal mining has carved out pits as deep as 10 feet in the Yamuna riverbed. Despite numerous complaints, authorities have failed to act decisively. “If the government continues to ignore us, we will be forced to intensify our agitation,” they warned.
ADC LR Verma confirmed that the hearing proceeded amid protests and that all viewpoints—both in favour and against the project—were recorded. A detailed report has since been forwarded to higher authorities.
As discontent grows, pressure mounts on Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan and the state government to intervene decisively. With public anger boiling over and opposition support gaining traction, calls for stricter enforcement, transparency and protection of the region’s fragile ecology are becoming increasingly urgent.
Himachal Tribune