Chandigarh, November 19, 2019 (Yes Punjab News)
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today said Congress leaders were directly responsible for illegal mining activities in Nangal, Kharar and the Zirakpur – Dera Bassi belt and asked the Ropar and Mohali Deputy Commissioners to identify and prosecute them.
In a statement here, former MP Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra said the recent seizure of an advanced excavator at Chhat village and complaints of collection of ‘goonda’ tax in the Zirakpur – Dera Bassi belt to the district administration were proof of illegal mining being done in the area in connivance with Congress leaders.
“As per complaints made to the Mohali Deputy Commissioner by stone crusher owners, sand mafia is collecting goonda tax amounting to Rs 2,000 to Rs 8,000 per truck from them”. He said the complainants had also brought it to the notice of the Deputy Commissioner that members of the sand mafia used to sit close to a police station while collecting the goonda tax indicating that they had political patronage.
Prof Chandumajra said this was not all. “Yesterday the Mohali district administration seized an advanced excavator from Chhat village following widespread complaints of illegal mining in the area”. He said the very fact that advanced excavators which could mine huge quantities of sand were being allowed to operate with impunity and were only checked after a public outcry was proof that leaders of the ruling Congress government were behind such activities.
The former mp said there were widespread media reports of illegal mining going on unabated in Anandpur Sahib parliamentary constituency. He said the media had highlighted and even shown photographs of trolleys being used to lift boulders from the Sutlej river bed.
He said there were reports that the trolleys were transporting the boulders to tippers who were lifting these boulders illegally. Prof Chandumajra said despite confirming that such activity was illegal, the mining department had not tried to stop this till now.
The SAD leader asked the Ropar and Mohali district administrations to function as per law and take action against Congress leaders who were indulging in illegal mining which was creating havoc with the eco system in the area.
