Dismantled roads built by the mining mafia in the Neugal riverbed

The illegal routes built by the mining mafia across forest land to an illegal mining location on the Neugal riverbed near Thural, 30 km away, were demolished by the Forest Department today.

Residents of the Thural region and two NGOs dedicated to environmental preservation staged a protest earlier this week against illicit mining in Neugal, claiming that the activity has harmed roads, pathways, electric installations, water channels, and cremation sites. On social media, a video showing mining in the river went viral. According to the footage, local authorities are working with the mafia.

Afterwards, panchayat officials from Thural, Batthan, and Sedun panchayats objected to the Mining Department’s decision to let the mafia access the riverbed via forested areas. At midnight, they also seized and turned over to the police a tractor trailer that was involved in illicit activities on the Neugal riverbed.

According to a top Forest Department official, the agency would not permit the misappropriation of forest land for unauthorized labor. When senior forest department officials arrived to the riverbank, they made sure the illegal roads built by the mining mafia on the forest property were demolished.

According to a senior Forest Department official, the Thural area’s forest land’s green flavors had been decimated by the mining mafia, who had wreaked havoc with nature. On the property in the forest, they had excavated deep holes. Additionally, in order to cope with the mining mafia that has threatened Thural’s public property, they requested assistance from the police and the mining department.

The action was applauded by the young people in the area, who have started a campaign against illicit mining in the Neugal. They said that in addition to harming the Thural area’s ecosystem, unlawful mining was also costing the state exchequer money.