Illegal mining faces curbs

Administration initiates many steps to check the practice near various river beds

Chandigarh, March 19
Excavating deep into the issue of illegal mining in Panchkula, the district administration has initiated a slew of measures. These include a ban on the plying of vehicles used for quarrying and ferrying material in the vicinity of river beds.

In a reply placed before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Assistant Commissioner of Panchkula Police Rajbir Singh asserted: “On March 3, an order under Section 144 of the Cr PC was issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Police and an earlier order was made more strict and wider.”

Elaborating, Rajbir Singh in his reply placed before Justice Ranjit Singh asserted: “It has been ordered that no tractor-trolley fitted with hydraulic jacks, tractor-trolley having four tyres, and iron cart to be pulled by tractor is allowed within 200 m radius.”Rajbir Singh added: “No JCB machines or any other excavation machinery or transport vehicle like dumpers and no screening or stocking or mining material is allowed within a radius of 1 kilometer of the riverbeds in any matter whatsoever.”

“Any steps taken by the administration to curb illegal mining activity like digging of trenches etc are not to be interfered with any manner.”

In his detailed reply, he added: “To curb illegal mining in the police district of Panchkula, an order under Section 144 Cr PC was issued earlier also by the DCP, Panchkula, on December 19, 2011, as a measure of emergency and it was ordered that no tractor-trolley, JCB machine or any other excavating machinery will be admitted, parked or used between 7 pm to 7 am within 100 meters of the riverbeds in any manner.”

The High Court, on the previous date of hearing, had taken cognisance of illegal mining going on in the State, while hearing a petition filed by a Panchkula resident, Rajesh Kumar. He was seeking anticipatory bail in an alleged illegal mining case.

Declining the anticipatory bail plea, Justice Ranjit Singh had asserted: “It is seen that a tractor-trolley was seized at the scene, whereas the person ran away. This was Rajesh Kumar who was booked on February 4 under the provisions of the Mines Act and also for theft, criminal conspiracy and other offences. The FIR was registered at the Chandimandir police station.”

MEASURES STARTED

n Ban on plying of vehicles used for quarrying and ferrying material in the vicinity of riverbedsn No tractor-trolley fitted with hydraulic jacks, tractor-trolley having four tyres, and iron cart to be pulled by tractor to be allowed within 200m radiusn No JCB machines or any other excavation machinery or transport vehicle like dumpers and no screening or stocking or mining material to be allowed within a radius of 1 km of the riverbeds

CHB told to pay interest: UT Consumer Court

Chandigarh, March 19
The UT Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) to pay Rs 10,000 as compensation for causing mental agony and harassment to a local resident who had applied for a house under a scheme, but was refunded the amount after a long delay.

The complainant had moved the consumer forum, claiming interest on the amount of Rs 1.22 lakh. She was unsuccessful in the draw of lots.

The complainant, 54-year-old Chandan Lata, a Sector-23 resident, stated in the complaint that she had applied for a house under the self-financing housing scheme, 2008, for employees of the Chandigarh Administration for allotment of dwelling units.

She had paid Rs 1.22 lakh as earnest money in March, 2008. In August, 2011, she had received a letter and a cheque for Rs 1.22 lakh as refund as she was unsuccessful in the draw of lots.

It was alleged that the CHB had utilised the amount of Rs 1.22 lakh for three years and she lost the interest on the amount. She had then moved the forum, seeking interest.

In its reply, the CHB, through its chairman, stated that the complainant had given an undertaking not to claim any interest on the amount and had signed a declaration in this regard.

It was also replied that due to the pendency of litigation in the high court pertaining to the scheme under question, the draw of lots could not be held till November 4, 2010. It was stated that this had led to the delay in refund. The CHB refuted all allegations.

Passing the order, forum president PD Goel and members Rajinder Singh and Madanjit Kaur stated that it could be legitimately concluded that the CHB was under a legal obligation to refund the amount of Rs 1.22 lakh to the complainant without interest on or before December, 2010, when the draw of lots was held.

It further said the CHB refunded the amount in August, 2011, after delay and so, was liable to pay interest and compensation.

“The CHB is directed to pay interest on the amount of Rs 1.22 lakh at the savings bank rate from December 4, 2010, till payment. It id also directed to pay Rs 10,000 as compensation for mental agony and harassment, besides Rs 5,000 as costs of litigation,” read the order.

TRIBUNE OPEN HOUSE RESPONSE

Impose drunk-driving penalty according to alcohol content 

Chandigarh - In future, if one commits a driving-related offence, he or she may have to shell out a fine up to five times the existing penalty. It’s a wonderful Bill, in case, implemented in order to curb the rising number of road accidents. A Bill proposing amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, is likely to be introduced in the Rajya Sabha during the coming budget session. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways should display the Cabinet-approved amendments adequately in newspapers, on signages and even on its website. The state police headquarters should form youth cells and rope in youngsters for night patrolling in the city.
This is the second time the Bill is being introduced in the Rajya Sabha. The previous effort was made in 2007. The UPA government is now introducing a strong Bill against traffic offenders. Hope the new law will equally apply to the top brass who generally park their red-beacon vehicles on roadsides. First, there must be a proper computerised record-keeping system interlinked throughout the country.
Computerisation will help in keeping an updated track record of all drivers which will help keep a watch on habitual offenders. Cases of drunk driving should be dealt with according to the quantity of alcohol found in the blood of an offender instead of a general law applicable to all such offenders. A person having 300 ml of alcohol in his blood should get a different punishment compared to those found with lower alcohol contents like 30 ml in their blood.
For the last over 7 years, I’ve been writing letters to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and many city police officials on the matter. The government and city top brass must enforce tough traffic laws in our city and no interference should be entertained.

Er Sachin Sharma, Chandigarh

Hefty fines can help check violations

These days more people die in accidents on the roads than of any diseases. The number of deaths caused by over-speeding and drunk driving is persistently on the rise as every year a large number of youngsters lose their lives in road rage. The state governments are not able to control the number of accidents through law enforcement alone and a heftier financial penalty may be a deterrent to rash and negligent driving. There is nothing wrong with the new proposal of charging huge fines as it is for the safety of people. People who are caught for violations just give a Rs 100 note to traffic cops and drive away. Nobody is afraid of this Rs 100 fine. So the amended Motor Vehicle Act is expected to bring in good results and reduce traffic violations. Anybody found drunk while driving must not be spared and suitably punished. Apart from charging hefty fines, the traffic police must ensure that checks and nakas are held on a daily basis and not only on special days. Signboards clearly indicating the permissible speed limits should be erected on roadsides.

Vineet Kapoor, Panchkula

Need to curb rash driving

Everyday a number of people are injured and killed in road accidents. These accidents occur mainly due to the negligence and carelessness of drivers, lenient traffic rules and to a large extent due to drunk driving. The move to impose hefty fines for offences like over speeding, drunk driving and using mobile while driving will help curb the menace of rash driving. It is high time that something stern and effective needs to be done.

Drunk driving, an illegal act, should be governed by stern laws which entail not only levying hefty fines or revocation of licence, but also prosecution of a violator on criminal charge. The police is ought to be more strict while enforcing traffic rules. No offender should be exempted from punishment, come what may. Also, there should be strict checking in the middle of the night when most crimes and cases of road rage occur. Different sectors, government and public, should also come forward and join hands to make the Indian roads safer. The education sector and the media can create enhanced community awareness and understanding of causes and consequences of road accidents.

Dr Shruti K Chawla, Sector-38C, Chandigarh

Step up media coverage

The aggressive media coverage of the cases of court punishment for drunken driving, which was witnessed in the city a couple of months ago, has lost steam in the recent past. The news that hit the page one consistently for some time seems to have lost its attraction.

These days drunk-driving cases are getting lesser prominence in the city newspapers. It is felt that when an offence becomes too common, it becomes less important for the Press.

The police and the media, too, need to keep addressing issues like drunk driving and this should be their top priority. Instead of just carrying pictures of the offenders in newspapers, the issue needs a wider coverage. In fact, cases of road accidents due to drunk driving needs to be highlighted.

Rakeshwar Katoch

Pinjore-Parwanoo bypass work still on

Panchkula, March 18

Commuters using National Highway 22 are likely to have a harrowing time for another two weeks as finishing of the 10-km Pinjore-Parwanoo bypass is still going on.

A random survey of the bypass, comprising eight bridges and four underpasses, has indicated that the centre medians on road dividers are being installed at various places.

Grills are also being installed at various places on the hilly track near Parwanoo, which will help restrict landslides during the rainy season.

The construction was started two-and-a-half-years ago. The project was supposed to be completed in December last.

The detailed project report prepared 10 years ago had to be revised as many structures had come up on the route, said an official with the construction company on the condition of anonymity.

Following this, new alignment of the road had to be devised, which also contributed to the delay in meeting the deadline, he added.

Once the bypass was thrown open, commuters would no longer be held up in traffic jams for hours at the narrow road passing through Pinjore and Kalka.

While a toll plaza had been set up at Surajpur, near Pinjore, there was also a proposal to instal CCTV cameras at the bypass.

Despite repeated attempts, NHAI Director Anil Dahiya could not be contacted as he did not respond to phone calls.

The trial run at the toll plaza had been started by the staff of the construction company. According to sources, toll would be charged from April 1.

A chart displays toll rates for vehicles.

A view of the toll plaza on the highway. Tribune Photos: Nitin Mittal

A view of the Pinjore-Parwanoo bypass.