Hazardous: Govt halts coal mine excavation

Lease owner had begun excavation of raw coal beneath Murree Road near Harnoi, some 4 kilometres from Abbottabad city.

ABBOTTABAD: The police on Monday asked a lease owner of a coal mine to cease excavation beneath Murree Road in the revenue limits of Bagnotar union council. Abbottabad Assistant Commissioner-II Muhammad Irshad Khan told The Express Tribune the lease owner of a coal mine had begun excavation of raw coal beneath Murree Road near Harnoi, some four kilometres from Abbottabad city. Khan said four mines have been dug, two beneath and two over the road which could lead to an accident. “Since this road serves as the main artery for traffic entering and exiting Galiyat, up to Murree, the excavation could damage the road and cause traffic accidents,” he said, adding the administration asked the police to stop the excavation under the Road Safety Ordinance, 1959. He said following the delivery of a notice to the owner, the Bagnotar police have barred workers from carrying out any work at the site.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 11^th, 2014.