Without transporting minerals, mining contractor generates transit passes
A contractor of a mining block has allegedly committed irregularities by generating e-ravanas (transit passes) without actual transportation of mining minerals (a mixture of boulder, gravel and sand) to screening plants in Yamunanagar district.
Besides, government dues were allegedly not paid on a regular basis by the contractor in violation of terms and conditions of the contract as the dues are required to be deposited as advance monthly instalment. The company of the contractor is reportedly in default of about Rs 37 crore.
When these irregularities came to light, District Mining Officer, Yamunanagar, Vinay Sharma, wrote a letter to the Director General, Department of Mines and Geology, on June 14, requesting him for the immediate suspension of the mining block.
Sources said that as per the letter/report of the Mining Department, Yamunanagar, there were outstanding dues of more than Rs 37 crore against this mining block and despite that, the block continued to function.
The letter also mentioned that on regular inspection of e-ravana data, it was found that this block was showing dispatches of 29,118.84 metric tonnes (MT) of mining minerals (boulder, gravel and sand) in a single day on June 13.
“If we assume that a typical vehicle carries around 40 MT of material, that would mean 747 trucks moved out of the mine that day (on June 13). This figure raises serious red flags because this mine site is equipped with only two weighbridges and passing through the weighbridge is mandatory for every vehicle. It is neither physically nor practically feasible for 747 trucks to pass through two weighbridges,” reads the letter.
As per the letter, the only plausible explanation is that e-ravana bills were generated without actual transportation. Therefore, there is a high possibility that trucks are being rotated through the weighbridges repeatedly after changing number plates, leading to fake billing and massive loss of state revenue.
“I have written a letter to the Director General, Department of Mines and Geology, requesting to issue immediate orders for the suspension of a mining block in Yamunanagar district so that the ongoing malpractice can be curbed and revenue leakage can be stopped,” said Vinay Sharma, District Mining Officer, Yamunanagar.
He said that he also requested for clear directions regarding the recovery of Rs 37 crore dues from the company.
Haryana Tribune