Punjab govt suspends mining officer of Mohali, Rupnagar for laxity

Suspension of Vipan Kumar comes a day after state mining minister Harjot Singh Bains ordered strict action against illegal sand and gravel mining

The Punjab government has placed the mining officer of Mohali and Rupnagar districts, Vipan Kumar, under suspension for laxity towards checking illegal sand and gravel mining.

The Punjab mining department has already suspended operations of the Mohali and Rupnagar clusters as the contractor, Rakesh Choudhary, failed to deposit ₹28 crore as fee for sand and gravel mining. (HT file photo)

Acting on the directions of state mining minister Harjot Singh Bains, department secretary Krishan Kumar placed Vipan under suspension with immediate effect. He would be chargesheeted for illegal mining in the Rupnagar and Mohali clusters, where contractors have done massive mining without paying any fee to the government.

The department has already suspended mining operations of these two clusters as the mining contractor, Rakesh Choudhary, failed to deposit ₹28 crore as fee for mining, according to the contract.

The suspension came a day after the state mining minister ordered strict action against illegal mining.