Haryana Government Denies Rs 5,000 Crore Loss in CAG Report on Illegal Mining
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Synopsis
The Haryana government has refuted allegations made by former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda regarding a reported Rs 5,000 crore loss due to illegal mining, insisting that the CAG report does not support these claims.
Key Takeaways
- The Haryana government denies Rs 5,000 crore loss claims.
- Former CM Hooda cited a CAG report alleging significant losses.
- The CAG report does not mention the alleged loss.
- Improved monitoring systems for mining activities are in place.
- The Haryana State Enforcement Bureau is active against illegal mining.
Chandigarh, Feb 19 (NationPress) The Haryana government issued a statement on Wednesday addressing claims made by former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda regarding a loss of Rs 5,000 crore attributed to illegal mining, asserting that the CAG report does not reference any such loss.
Hooda, citing the latest CAG report, alleged that the total losses from illegal mining reached Rs 50,000 crore during the decade of the BJP government.
A representative from the Mines and Geology Department confirmed that the report in question is from 2019 and does not mention a loss of Rs 5,000 crore due to illegal mining activities.
“The report was discussed in December 2022 during a session of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). Although there were findings related to a geospatial survey of sand and gravel mines, no specific loss of Rs 5,000 crore from illegal mining or scams was identified by the CAG as claimed by Hooda,” the spokesman stated.
He further explained that the PAC identified flaws in the CAG's geospatial study methodology, leading the Mines and Geology Haryana Department to refute the findings during discussions.
The PAC has suggested enhancements to the monitoring systems to tackle illegal mining, and the department has already implemented several measures to improve oversight of mining activities.
“We have upgraded from the outdated E-Rawana system to the new HMGIS portal developed by NIC, which remedies all previous system deficiencies. The new system is integrated with CCTV cameras and weighbridges to combat illegal mining,” he explained.
Additionally, to facilitate real-time vehicle tracking, GPS-enabled vehicles have been incorporated into the HMGIS portal in partnership with HARSAC.
The spokesman noted that both district and state-level task forces are already in operation to address illegal mining issues.
“Currently, all departments involved in the district-level task force are actively monitoring illegal mining incidents and the transport of illegally mined resources,” he added.
The government has established the Haryana State Enforcement Bureau to combat illegal mining, and a standard operating procedure (SOP) has been finalized to ensure coordination between the Bureau and relevant departments.
