E-Paper
Sukhbir alleges illegal mining in Beas, dept trashes charges
Sukhbir claimed that the mining site was illegal and was being operated for the last three months with heavy machinery installed in the river’s running water, while the district administration tried to justify that it was an approved mine of the government
AMRITSAR
High drama was witnessed at Wazir Bhullar village of Baba Bakala sub-division situated along the banks of Beas on the Amritsar-Delhi national highway after Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal and his supporters conducted a raid at a mining site.
Sukhbir claimed that the mining site was illegal and was being operated for the last three months with heavy machinery installed in the river’s running water, while the district administration tried to justify that it was an approved mine of the government. Sukhbir waited for at least two hours at the site until the officials of the district administration visited the spot and assured him of taking “legal action if anyone found to be guilty in floating the rules”.
The SAD chief also filed a complaint against Congress minister Sukhbinder Singh Sukh Sarkaria and MLAs Santokh Singh Bhalaipur, Sukhpal Singh Bhullar, Inderbir Singh Bolaria, Ramanjit Singh Sikki and Kulbir Singh Zira, besides others at the Beas police station for “illegal” mining.
A complaint was also lodged by Friends and Company, which claimed to have the contract for the mining at the site against Sukhbir and some former Akali MLAs who accompanied him for threatening the employees and staff of the company and obstructing and interfering in the mining operation.
During his visit to the site, Sukhbir said according to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), no mining activity could take place within 5km area of a bridge. But in this case, sand was being excavated within a distance of 1km of the bridge, claimed Sukhbir.
Some truck drivers, who were being charged a “goonda tax” of ₹16,000 per truck, have also filed a separate complaint, it was learnt. Villagers also filed a complaint saying panchayat land was being mined by the mafia without their permission, claimed SAD leaders.
Sukhbir also condemned the “mining mafia” for trying to divert attention from their crime by filing a false complaint against him and other Akali leaders. “Our only sin is to expose this corrupt and scam-ridden government as well as its mining mafia,” he added.
According to the SAD, the visit found a few hundred trucks, fork cranes and even a pipeline on floaters on the spot. Sukhbir said it was shocking that chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh was allowing the sand mafia to indulge in daylight robbery of state resources within a kilometre from the national highway.
Superintendent of police (SP-investigation) Gaurav Toora said: “The allegations made in the SAD complaint are being examined. We are writing to the mining department seeking a report. Once the report comes, legal action will be sought and action will be taken as per law.”
About the company’s complaint, SSP-rural Gurleen Singh Khurana said: “It is being verified. According to the sub-divisional officer of the mining department, the site was approved for de-silting. Our investigation is on.”
Site legal, says mining dept
In a release, the state mining department said the site was approved by the government. A spokesperson of the department said from mining block number 5 that was allotted to the company, the government has been getting ₹34.5 crore revenue annually. He said during the SAD government, the revenue was only ₹30 to ₹40 crore from entire Punjab. He said the state government has been earning ₹300 crore revenue from the mining in the state. He also made it clear that there was no illegal mining site in Amritsar district.
