Punjab Government intensifies crackdown on illegal mining
Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh, October 12-
In response to stringent directives issued by Punjab Mining & Geology Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal immediately upon assuming office, a coordinated effort to combat illegal mining activities in the state has been launched. A joint task force comprising officers from the mining department and local police executed a large-scale operation in Amritsar district.
Elaborating on the operation, Goyal said that the mining department has adopted a zero-tolerance policy against illegal mining, in accordance with the mandate of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann.
The Cabinet Minister said that the operation uncovered an illicit mining site in village Dhingai, Ajnala in district Amritsar, where recent evidence of unauthorized excavation was detected.
Goyal disclosed that the team discovered operational machinery at the site, including a poclain excavator, which was promptly documented and seized by the authorities.
The raid also exposed a dubious agreement between two individuals, Harpreet Singh and Jasbir Singh, ostensibly granting permission for soil excavation. The legitimacy of this agreement is currently under investigation.