Uttarakhand: If there is no budget for jails, then why was the fine of stone crushers waived? High Court seeks answer

Between 2016 and 2017, the Nainital District Magistrate during his tenure waived off a fine of about Rs 50 crore imposed on 18 stone crushers for illegal mining and storage. A PIL was filed in the High Court on this. Hearing this, the court said that if there is no budget for jails, then why was the fine of stone crushers waived off?

Why was the fine of stone crushers waived off?

The Nainital High Court heard the PIL filed in this matter. The division bench of Chief Justice Ritu Bahri and Justice Rakesh Thapliyal, while hearing the case, asked the Secretary of Mining that how much fine was imposed on stone crushers operating in the state from the year 2016 till now for illegal mining and storage? The court has sought a reply on this by September 30.

If there is no budget for jails, then why was the fine waived off?

Let us tell you that earlier the Secretary of Mining was asked to appear in the court. But due to ill health, he could not appear. In his place, Deputy Secretary Laxman Singh appeared in the court. Laxman Singh said that the health of the Secretary of Mining is not good and due to this he could not appear in the court.

During the hearing in the court, the court verbally commented to the government that, if the government does not have the budget for the facilities of the jails in the state, then why was the fine of stone crushers waived? On what basis was this fine waived? Along with this, the court said that the daily wages of the prisoners are also not being paid properly.

Why was the fine of only 18 waived?

During the hearing in the High Court, the petitioner said that the then District Magistrate had imposed a fine on 186 people. But the District Magistrate waived the fine of only 18 stone crushers. But why was the fine of the rest not waived? The petitioner said that among them there were also Pallidars, mule and shovel owners whose households were run by this.