In a major crackdown on illegal mining activities, the Baddi police seized a tipper and a poclain registered in the name of the wife of Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS) Ramkumar
Diary Times News Service
Baddi, 06 August: In a significant crackdown on illegal mining activities, the Baddi police have seized a tipper and a poclain registered in the name of the wife of Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS) Ram Kumar. The police imposed a fine of Rs 75,000 before releasing the vehicles. Investigation is underway to ascertain whether the mining took place on government or private land. If it is confirmed that the land is government, further charges will be filed under the National Green Tribunal (NGT) rules.
The controversy started on Sunday near Malpur village, where illegal mining activities were detected. Local residents protested on Saturday evening, following which the police took action. By the time officials arrived, several vehicles had left the spot, leaving only one tipper and poclain. The drivers fled as soon as the police arrived. Malpur resident Krishna Kumar took the matter forward by writing a letter to the Superintendent of Police and demanding a thorough investigation.
BJP district secretary Gurmel Chaudhary accused Ram Kumar Chaudhary’s family of carrying out illegal mining for a long time, alleging that the government has supported them. Gurmel accused the authorities of ignoring public complaints and viral videos documenting the illegal activities. He claimed that a huge amount of material has been stored illegally in the crushers owned by Ramkumar Chaudhary and his family. Gurmel alleged that many crushers operate without the required NOC and M Forms, accusing the Congress government of protecting its leaders and keeping ordinary citizens out of the mining industry.
Former MLA Paramjit Singh Pammi also reiterated these concerns and insisted that the police should issue challans as per the NGT guidelines instead of simple fines. Pammi warned of possible protests if appropriate action was not taken against CPS Ramkumar.
Additional Superintendent of Police Ashok Verma confirmed the ongoing investigation, saying, “We are investigating the situation based on NGT standards to determine the nature of the land concerned.”
Meanwhile, CPS Ram Kumar Chaudhary denied the allegations and alleged that there was a conspiracy to tarnish his reputation. He said his mining operation was completely legal and was conducted on leased land and all required royalties were paid to the government. Chaudhary accused complainant Krishna Kumar of making baseless allegations due to the decline in his own business. He announced plans to file a defamation suit against Kumar.
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