217 tractors, 961 bikes challaned plying without registration number
In an alarming revelation indicative of declining trend of registering vehicles, the Baddi police have challaned 1,291 vehicles operating without registration number since January.
While violating the Motor Vehicles Act, a large number of them are used in nefarious activities like illegal mining and thefts. This crackdown on unregistered vehicles has been carried out for the first time in this bordering industrial belt as activities like illegal mining have become a major challenge for the law enforcement agencies.
Among 1,291 vehicles challaned by the police since January 1, as many as 217 are tractors which are usually used to ferry illegally mined quarry material from various riverbeds of this industrial belt. Every now and then the police seizes tractor trailers loaded with illegal quarry material. In a majority of the cases, such vehicles are not deliberately registered to evade police action as they can easily get away during a police raid.
Tractors are registered for agriculture use but over the years they have been misused for illegal mining as it was a profitable venture. An analysis of the figures of vehicle registration in Solan district reveals that among the commercial vehicles, tractors are the highest selling vehicle.
The lion’s share of 961 vehicles, however, comprises motor cycles. It has been observed that two-wheelers are often used in crimes like thefts, dacoity, burglary, etc. by migrants or gangsters from the neighbouring states.
SP Baddi Vinod Dhiman, who was aggressively addressing pilferage of mining material from this industrial belt, stated that, “The Baddi police is laying emphasis on nabbing vehicles plying unregistered as they are found involved in various crimes like illegal mining. We have zero tolerance policy towards this environmentally degrading activity and all unregistered vehicles will be challaned.”
Ninety goods vehicles, earth moving machines and excavators also faced similar action. All such vehicles contribute to illegal mining. One can sense their large-scale misuse from a single raid conducted at Androla Khud and Rampur Gujran khud recently where seven excavators and 10 trucks used in mining activities were seized.
In view of the large-scale use of such vehicles, police has asked the residents to register their vehicles and avoid punitive action.
“A large number of bike riders include the migrants who do not register their vehicles either to avoid paying taxes or due to lack of requisite documents like residence proof,” observed a police officer.
Other vehicles challaned for this offence comprise six buses, an e-rickshaw, 15 cars and a three-wheeler.
Criminals conceal their identity by wearing helmet and using unregistered two-wheelers to evade the police, added the officer.
Himachal Tribune