Himachal Pradesh: Illegal mining has increased significantly in Himachal Pradesh in the last two years, yet the state government seems reluctant to take decisive action against the powerful mining mafia. Despite several directives and growing concerns, the police and state agencies hesitate to take action for fear of repercussions. Deadly attacks on state officials, panchayat pradhans and informers by mining operators have further aggravated the situation. To tackle illegal mining and prevent revenue losses worth crores, the previous BJP government led by Jai Ram Thakur had set up four mining zones in the state, with headquarters at Shimla, Mandi, Kangra and Solan.
However, even after more than two years, these regional offices are not functioning at their designated locations, and officials are still working from Shimla. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the Himachal Pradesh High Court have raised concerns about the ever-increasing illegal mining and environmental degradation, especially in Una, Kangra, Solan and Mandi districts. In response to the NGT directions, the government empowered SDMs to confiscate the property of those involved in illegal mining. However, enforcement remains weak due to administrative inaction. Adding to the inefficiency, the state industries department has failed to relocate regional mining offices, despite Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s orders to decongest Shimla.
Currently, all four geologists work from a cramped office in Shimla’s Vikasnagar instead of going to designated headquarters in Solan, Dharamsala and Mandi, where adequate government infrastructure is available. Each zone has a team of four to five personnel headed by a geologist who can be easily accommodated in these districts. Illegal mining has become a major issue in Kangra, Mandi, Una and Solan districts, leading to revenue losses of lakhs of rupees per day and severe damage to the environment. According to the government notification: Zone 1 comprises Shimla, Chamba and Kinnaur; Zone 2 comprises Una, Kangra and Hamirpur; Zone 3 includes Sirmaur, Solan and Bilaspur; and Zone 4 includes Mandi, Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti.
