Tribune News Service
Ropar, September 5
Agitated over the rampant illegal mining in their area, residents of nearly a dozen Ropar villages on Sunday decided to form vigilante groups to check the mafia in the Nurpur Bedi area.
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Difficult to monitor entire district
It’s difficult to keep a regular watch across the district due to staff crunch. But, we still take action whenever a complaint regarding illegal mining is received.
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Holding a meeting at Gurdwara Singh Sabha of Bhaini village, they said the mafia had dug up the riverbed up to an alarming level, which would endanger the villages situated on its bank. The residents alleged that the authorities had failed to check the mining mafia, which not only had robbed the district of natural resources, but had also posed danger to the villages.
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Groundwater level depleting
Over 20-ft-deep craters can be seen all over the Sutlej and Swan beds. Many villages near the riverbed are facing a sharp decline in the groundwater level, rendering our tubewells useless.
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Gurnaib Singh Jetewal, a villager, said illegal mining was rampant in the area for the past more than a decade. As the authorities have failed to curb it, the mining mafia had now expanded its operation till their fields, he alleged. Another villager Jagtar Singh said more than 20-ft-deep craters could be seen all over the Sutlej and Swan beds. With mining going on up to such depth, many villages near the riverbed had been facing a sharp decline in the groundwater level, rendering their tubewells useless, he said.
The residents said they would form vigilante groups in all affected villages, who would keep an eye on the mining mafia. They would also submit a memorandum to the Ropar DC and if no action was taken, they would move court.
Illegal mining rampant, Ropar villagers to turn vigilantes
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