Failing to end the deadlock of Stone Crusher strike : BJP MLA put Jai Ram Govt in dock
Himachal Pradesh Government had to face the wrath of its own senior member ofAssembly on Wednesday when members of treasury benches blamed their own govt for not ending the deadlock of the indefinite strike of stone crusher.
Raising the issue of closing down of stone crusher by the crusher owner of Kangra district under rule 62 in the assembly Former BJP minister and member of assembly Mr Ramesh Dhawala said that state government is not resolving the problems of hundreds of stone crashers, people who required construction materials and 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 the governmentworks stalled due to prolonged dead lock as they are forced to buy the stone crashers on exorbitantprices.
This was increasing the illegal mining along the rivers and rivulets and massive natural wealth andminerals are washing down by the flood waters from the state of Punjab causing enormous loss of state revenue. Minister said that member of assemble have mandate to have their say on every public issues howeverit seemed to 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 challan on loading of authorised mining and discouraging the evacuation of the construction material with help of Poaklane and JCB. The Government is trying toenforce the condition of manual collection of chips and sands from the mines which deprived the crasherowners and workers from the innovation of automation and machines in the scatter.
Members mentioned in the house that if BJP govt would not resolve this issues it would give an opportunity to other sides( indicating toward opposition benches ) to seize over on the issues.
Members said that it is not only 35 crasher owners of Kangra district who are on strike but crasher owners ofPaonta are also on strike. The strike is not only affected the people of Kangra district but they are also supplying toconstruction material for Mandi district.
Replying to the call attention motion, Industry Minister Vikram Singh Thakur said that members have 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 crushers owner of Kangra district.”
Government have convened a meeting to resolve the issue but barring the stone crusher owner all other stone crashers ended their strike .
Minsiter said that in in 2016 a notification was issued which banned all mining on the river and rivuletsbut there is no ban on collection of sand and chips. Minister said that Government have order the Officersto 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 counter.
Mr 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 talk with them.
The Jai Ram Government would allow lifting of construction materials with help of Poklane and JCB howeverit 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. Minsiter informed that he noted it personally that crasher owners are not issuing the M-form to drive while transporting sand and chips and other minerals from crashers and mines.
Minister said that there are a total 461 authorised leases of mining in the state and around 376 stone crashersare working on them. He said that 221 new leases 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 leases on the ground provided they have all clearance as legal mines could only operate after having mining license and it is also essential for all crasher owners to get clearances from the Pollution Control board and State ForestDepartments.
” During Covid pandemic crasher 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 ave slight exchange on mentioning of few words on this issue as two showed some disentions and bickering in the house.
Mr Dhawala, referring minister on the issue, said in the house he expects his younger brothers to act honestly and efficiently to resolve the issue. In reply of that Minister said that Government and he has clarlity on the issue and efforts have been made to resolve it following the rules. Minister said that like Mr. Dhawala he is honest and holding the berth of the department today because he himself rejected the offer of this berth .