8 booked, four held for illegal mining in Kharar’s Majri block

Eight persons were booked and four arrested for illegal mining in Abhipur village of Majri block in Kharar, which continues to remain a hotbed of the illegal practice in the district.

A crusher, a JCB and a truck were also impounded.

A case under Section 379 (theft) of the Indian Penal Code and under Section 21 of the Mine and Minerals (Regulations and Development) Act was registered against Mukhpal Singh, Surinder Pal Singh Gill, Randhir Singh, Lakwinder Singh, all residents of Taran Taran, Lakhvir Singh and Surjit Singh from Ferozepur, and Karam Chand, owner of the crusher and resident of Ropar, and driver Raminder Singh.

The four arrested are Randhir Singh, Surjit Singh, Balwant Singh and Raminder Singh. They will be produced in a court on Saturday.

On October 13, a team led by Ropar divisional commissioner Rahul Tewari, deputy commissioner of Mohali, Girish Dayalan, additional deputy commissioner Aashika Jain, and district mining officer Gurpreet Pal Singh visited the spot and detected 16 illegal crushers.

Dayalan said, “We have formed a team of the mining department, pollution department, power department and police to check the illegal functioning of crushers.”

On July 16 this year, the mining department had raided Gocher village and found that fresh 5,000 cubic feet of gravel had been dug out. The officers had also seized a crusher, which was lying at a little distance from the said village.

On July 6, Majri police had booked former director general of police (DGP) Paramdeep Singh Gill along with 44 farmers of Saini Majra in Majri block for allowing illegal mining on their land under Section 21 of the Mine and Minerals (Regulations and Development) Act.