18 FIRS registered in Sri Anandpur Sahib for illegal mining, challans submitted in 13 cases: Harjot Singh Bains

Sri Anandpur Sahib, April 25, 2023: Aiming to provide sand and gravel at affordable rates to people, Punjab Government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is making persistent efforts and also opened several public mines at different locations in Punjab to crackdown against sand mafia, said cabinet minister Harjot Singh Bains here today.

During a joint meeting with the mining and police administration of Anandpur Sahib here today, Harjot Singh Bains said that illegal mining would not be tolerated under any circumstances by the Mann government. He said that if anyone indulges in illegal mining, action will be initiated against them at once as per rules.

He said that if there was laxity on the part of any officer is detected, the stern action will also be taken against the concerned erring officer for dereliction of duty.

He informed that 18 FIRs have been registered in Sri Anandpur Sahib from January to March 2023 in connection with illegal mining. Cases have been registered and challans have been submitted to the court in 13 of these cases. The court has imposed a fine of Rs 25 lakh in these cases, he said.

Bains said that 29 RSMs notices have been issued under Sri Anandpur Sahib area. Apart from this, 37,484 metric tonnes of sand has also been seized. Similarly, the state government has earned a tax income of Rs 7.76 crore from minerals being brought from other states in three months, the cabinet minister said.

Giving details of Ropar area, Harjot Singh Bains said that six cases have been registered in ropar in the last three months in connection with illegal mining, in which the court has imposed a fine of Rs 9.5 lakh. Apart from this, five RSMs notices were also issued and an income of Rs 1.99 crore has been received from sand and gravel being brought from other states.

Reiterating his government's firm commitment towards sand mafia, the Cabinet Minister said that illegal mining in the state would not be tolerated at all by the Punjab Government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. He said the government machinery has been assigned to curb illegal mining.