Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday expressed serious concerns over illegal mining activities in Himachal Pradesh, alleging that such operations are flourishing under the noses of elected representatives and local government officials.
The chief minister made these remarks on the concluding day of the Monsoon Session of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly, while referring to a specific case of illegal mining registered at Sujanpur in Hamirpur district.
Sukhu informed the House that local police in Sujanpur recently received a tip-off about illegal mining being carried out under the guise of a stone crusher, which had been ordered to shut last year.
“The crusher belongs to individuals who presumed themselves safe under the patronage of certain influential people in Hamirpur,” the CM said.
He warned that the involvement of local government officials in facilitating illegal mining in connivance with the accused cannot be ruled out. “We will take stringent action against all those found guilty,” Sukhu said, emphasising the government’s commitment to curb unlawful activities that cause environmental degradation and revenue loss to the state exchequer.
Sukhu named a few suspects, including Umesh Sharma, owner of Road & Bridges Construction Company. Naming more suspects, the CM said, “Praveen Sharma, his nephew Umesh Sharma, Munshi Satish Sharma and associate Sanjay Kumar have moved an anticipatory bail application in the concerned court. The bail is not the acquittal. The intense investigation is on, and suspects are being questioned.”
The chief minister also touched upon financial challenges faced by Himachal in the aftermath of the recent natural disaster, and hinted that the government might be compelled to make difficult decisions, including possible deductions in facilities such as electricity subsidies and even deferring certain salaries and benefits, to ensure adequate resources for disaster relief and rehabilitation.
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Sukhu made these statements while replying to a query raised by Congress Doon MLA Ram Kumar Chaudhary, who sought clarity on the timeline for providing assistance to disaster-affected people in his constituency.
Sukhu said, “The concerns raised by the Congress MLA are in my mind. We will provide assistance to every affected person. I know we have to cut our resources for this purpose, and we are going to start work in this direction shortly.”
The chief minister reiterated that the government is fully committed to rehabilitating all those affected by the calamity, even if it requires major financial adjustments.
