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Journalism of Courage
About a week after reports on illegal mining in Black Hills, principal secretary (Home) K.C. Kapoor has visited the Kutch desert sanctuary to assess the damage. The forest department is conducting a separate probe, additional principal chief conservator Pradeep Khanna said on Monday.
On April 3, The Indian Express had reported illegal mining in Black Hills by contractors laying border roads in Kutch district. Police had filed cases against the contractors.
Kapoor, who paid a two-day visit to Black Hills, held meetings with Kutch district collector P.N. Sharma and forest department officials. ‘‘Mining has been totally stopped now and the contractors have been strictly asked to keep away from the sanctuary. They have been given other sites for mining,’’ Kapoor said.
A central empowered committee set up by Supreme Court has also asked the state government to submit a report on mining in Black Hills. Kapoor said the Kutch district collector would send the report after a preliminary inquiry.
‘‘We are still trying to assess the damage. The area is not properly demarcated at certain places and forest settlement has not been done. Contractors were given permission to lift material at some places and they misused that permission to mine in the protected area,’’ Kapoor said. The forest department is also conducting a preliminary probe to assess the damage.
