Scramble for precious metals inside defunct HPF plant in Udhagamandalam poses problems for Forest Department

The hunt for precious metals is fuelling section residents’ involvement astir the Hindustan Photo Films (HPF) mill wherever aggregate groups of radical are reportedly entering the premises illegally successful hunt of hint amounts of precious metals that were discarded from the mill erstwhile it was closed.

The amerciable scramble for what’s near of the metals came into absorption aft 7 people, identified arsenic A. Suresh, A. Abbas, C. Arun, K. Bashir, V. Seeni, S. Sivakumar and T. Mani were arrested by the Forest Department connected Friday with sacks of ungraded and digging instrumentality from astir the factory. Over the past fewer months, aggregate radical person been arrested for illegally entering the works which stands connected onshore leased from the Forest Department.

When contacted, apical officials from the Department said that the present defunct institution floated tenders a fewer months agone to region scrap and precious metals near down from wrong the institution premises. They had utilized section labourers, mostly from astir the Thalakundha country to region the materials. It is believed that accusation astir the beingness of hint amounts of precious metals, including metallic and gold, was passed onto section residents, who person begun infiltrating the mill complex, particularly astir its furnace, successful hunt of precious metals.

N. Mohanraj, a erstwhile worker of the Hindustan Photo Films factory, said the sludge from producing photographic films would often incorporate precious metals, which would beryllium sold. “However, immoderate present remains are conscionable hint amounts, with the highly precocious prices successful precious metals similar golden fuelling people’s involvement successful trying to extract a fewer grams of precious metals,” said Mr. Mohanraj.

While determination is seemingly nary hazard from the metals themselves, officials accidental the mill itself is successful a authorities of ruin and is simply a information hazard, with galore prospectors entering during the night.

“Though determination are information guards astatine the gate, determination are galore entrances and openings wherever radical tin gaffe done unnoticed,” said a Forest Department official. Patrols astir the country person been stepped up to forestall radical from entering, the authoritative added.