Punjab to notify mining policy in 2 weeks

The Punjab government on Thursday informed the Punjab and Haryana high court that it would take two weeks' time to notify the mining policy, following which stone crushers that fulfil the criteria laid down would be granted permission to operate.

The Punjab government on Thursday informed the Punjab and Haryana high court that it would take two weeks' time to notify the mining policy, following which stone crushers that fulfil the criteria laid down would be granted permission to operate.

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The information was submitted before the division bench headed by justice Rajive Bhalla during hearing of a petition filed by Darshan Singh, a resident of Rupnagar district.

The petitioner had challenged the faulty auction process of the state government and sought quashing of the auction notice, alleging that it was against provisions of the Mines and Minerals (Regulation and Development) Act, 1957, and the Punjab Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1964.

The petitioner, through his counsel Mansur Ali, had submitted before the court that the state had not carried out any procedure for demarcation of sites for which the mining contracts had to be issued.

Taking up the petition, the high court had directed the state government to come out with a clear-cut policy for carrying out mining operations in a transparent manner. The case would now come up for hearing on July 19.