New squad to check illegal quarrying in Haridwar

A special anti-quarrying squad has been formed in Haridwar keeping in view the rise in illegal mining in the district.

“This squad has been formed keeping in mind several cases of illegal quarrying reported almost on a daily basis in the district,” said Krishan Kumar VK, the senior superintendent of police of Haridwar, on Saturday.

“This specialised anti-illegal quarrying squad will carry out impromptu raids and inspection at various sites, where illegal quarrying is reported. Special emphasis is given on those personnel having experience of duty in quarrying prone areas and will be quite effective in reining in illegal quarrying business in the district,” he added.

The squad, comprising a dozen-odd police personnel from Haridwar and Roorkee, will be headed by inspector Surya Bhushan Negi.

It has already started its work. “We have already started chalking strategies and taking inputs from local people about the illegal quarrying prone sites. Vehicles, particularly JCB machines, tractors and trolleys found ferrying illegal quarrying material will be immediately impounded at the spot itself and action will be taken against the vehicle owners too,” said Negi.

The team, apart from checking illegal quarrying on the Ganga riverbed, will also check the illegal activity in small rivulets, canals and other water bodies.

The decision to form the anti-quarrying squad has been taken keeping in the view the rise in illegal quarrying in Haridwar, so much so that it has overtaken the legal business, which is not only causing losses to the state exchequer, but also disturbing the region’s ecology.

Chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat during his previous visit to the Jagadugru Ashram at Kankhal had assured of a major clampdown on illegal quarrying in Haridwar. A similar initiative was taken by former district police chief Sweety Aggarwal two years ago, when a special agency was set up by her to check illegal quarrying in the district. This agency, headed by a circle officer and comprising a female police officer, had yielded positive results.

However, social activist JP Baduni said that the squad should also look into nexus between many a police personnel and illegal quarrying mafia, “as barring police everyone knows the sites where illegal quarrying goes on in Haridwar such as in Shyampur-Kangri, Bishanpur Kundi, Pathri, Jagjeetpur, Lakshar, Mangalore and Roorkee.”