• Illegal mining that continues unabated in the Binwa rivulet at Baijnath in Himachal’s Kangra has endangered another railway bridge on the heritage Pathankot-Jogindernagar track, besides posing threat to an adjoining highway bridge and the famous 13th century Shiva temple in the town.
• Despite tall claims by the local administration and the Mining Department, a large number of mules can be seen carrying extracted sand and gravel from the rivulet’s banks.
• The illegally mined material was transported on mules to certain points from where it was shifted to vehicles by the mining mafia for further sale, said Ghanshyam Awasthi, an environmental activist.
• Awasthi said several sand and gravel dumps could be seen on the Pathankot-Mandi highway.
• Deep trenches dug by the mining mafia on the riverbed had weakened the retaining walls of the temple as well as the pillars of the two bridges.
• A colonial-era bridge on the Pathankot-Jogindernagar rail track over the Chakki rivulet in Kangra’s Nurpur was washed away following heavy rain recently, an incident attributed by green activists to illegal mining.
• According to the state government’s policy, mining cannot be carried out within 100 metres of a bridge.
• Sources said in view of the temple, a complete ban had been imposed on mining in the Binwa. The mining mafia, however, is engaged in the illegal activity right next to the foundation of the bridges and the temple’s retaining wall.

About the famous 13th century Shiva temple in the town.

• The Baijnath temple is a highly popular temple as it houses one of the 12 holy jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva in the country and devotees from across the country throng the temple to offer prayers to the lord.
• The temple, constructed in 1204 AD by Lord Shiva devotees and local merchants Ahuka and Manyuka, is believed to have medicinal powers as the water emerging from the temple is believed to heal people from their illnesses.
• The Baijnath temple is constructed in the Nagara style of architecture.