Shimla, Aug 4
Himachal Pradesh Government had to face the wrath of its own senior member in the Assembly on Wednesday, the member of treasury benches, blamed the government for not ending the deadlock of the indefinite strike of stone crushers.
Raising the issue of closing down of stone crusher in Kangra district under rule 62, former BJP minister and member of assembly Ramesh Dhawala said that state government is not resolving the problem of hundreds of stone crushers and the people associated with them ;like who require construction material, thousands of trucks and transporters are affected due to the deadlock.
It seems that bureaucracy, policies and mining officials are trying to mislead the State Government, creating chaos and increasing the shortage of construction materials. People and government works are stalled due to prolonged dead.
This was increasing the illegal mining along the rivers and rivulets and massive natural wealth and minerals. Minister said that member of assemble have mandate to have their say on every public issues however it seems that officers are trying to evade their concerns by blatantly enforcing the rules and regulations responsible for the dead lock.
The officers of the mining department are slapping challans on loading of authorised mining material and are discouraging the evacuation of the construction material with help of Poaklane and JCB. The Government is trying to enforce the condition of manual collection of chips and sands from the mines which deprives the crusher owners and workers from the innovation of automation and machines in the scatter.
Member mentioned in the house that if BJP govt would not resolve this issue it would give an opportunity to other side ( indicating toward opposition benches ) to seize over on the issue.
Members said that it is not only 35 crusher owners of Kangra district who are on strike but crusher owners of Paonta are also on strike. The strike is not only affecting the people of Kangra district but they are, also supplying construction material for Mandi district.
Replying to the call attention motion, Industry Minister Vikram Singh Thakur said that
member has raised the issue of 20 stone crusher owners of Kangra districts who are on indefinite strike for the last some time.
Minister said that ” State Pollution Control board has not imposed any different condition and rule on the agitating stone crusher owners of Kangra district.”
Government has convened a meeting to resolve the issue but barring the stone crusher owner all other stone crushers ended their strike. Minister said that in 2016 a notification was issued which banned all mining on the river and rivulets but there is no ban on collection of sand and chips. Minister said that Government has ordered the Officers to present state viewpoints before the court or high court emphatically so that ban imposed on the collection of mining materials by the stay order could be countered.
Kumar said that the role of automation and machines could not be denied and the State Government is also apprised about the issue by the owner of crusher during the recent talks with them.
The Jai Ram Government would allow lifting of construction materials with help of Poklane and JCB however it would enforce the abiding of all mining rules and regulation and blanket mining and unscientific exploitation could not be allowed.
There are systems in place to allow the machines on the mining sites however there are some habitual offenders. Minister informed that he noted it personally that crusher owners are not issuing the M-form to drivers while transporting sand and chips and other minerals from crushers and mines.
Minister said that there are a total 461 authorised leases of mining in the state and around 376 stone crashers are working on them. He said that 221 new lease were also issued in the state for mining to end the shortage of construction material which would start functioning after having forest and environment clearances.
Minister said that no crasher would operate without having authorised mine lease, provided they have all clearance as legal mines. They could only operate after having mining license and it is also essential for all crusher owners to get clearances from the Pollution Control board and State Forest departments.
” During Covid pandemic crusher owners are not getting enough labour moreover it is not possible for manual harnessing of the entire mining materials.” Minister said
Both minister and member also had slight exchange of few words on this issue as two displayed some dissent and bickering in the house.