We have ended unlawful mining in state: Punjab minister Harjot Bains

By PTI

CHANDIGARH: Punjab Mines and Geology Minister Harjot Singh Bains Saturday claimed his division has ended unlawful sand mining within the state.

He additionally stated the each day extraction of sand and gravel in authorized method has crossed one lakh metric tonne.

“We have ended illegal mining in Punjab through our hard work day and night. Being the mining minister, I can say illegal mining has ended in Punjab,” Bains stated in a video message.

“We have broken the back of illegal mining,” he claimed.

He stated the federal government is immediate on performing on circumstances of unlawful mining, and an FIR can be lodged each time a criticism is obtained.

The menace of unlawful sand mining was amongst key points through the 2022 state meeting polls and the Aam Aadmi Party had focused the earlier authorities over the problem through the ballot marketing campaign.

Bains stated the each day common extraction of sand and gravel in final 12 months was 35,000-40,000 metric tonne.

“But we took it to over one lakh MT. Yesterday, 1,03,000 MT tonne extraction was done in Punjab,” he stated.

He additional stated that in May final 12 months, solely 8 lakh MT authorized mining of sand and gravel was accomplished.

“But in May this year, we have already crossed 18.50 lakh MT of legal mining,” he stated.

The minister stated that the authorized mining of sand and gravel elevated significantly although solely 4 out of the entire seven blocks of mining have been operational.

However, shortly after Bains’s claims of ending unlawful mining, Congress MLA Pargat Singh shared movies on his Twitter deal with and claimed unlawful mining was happening at numerous locations.

“@harjotbains ji, Illegal mining continues at various places in Punjab. I am sharing another video of blatant mining in your own backyard in Taraf Mazri, Anandpur Sahib. I request you to please take care of your own area first before making tall claims and indulging in PR exercises,” Pargat tweeted.

Bains replied, “2.5X increase in Legal Mining. That’s why i am saying kindly check the data of yours term & ours. Have summoned report of this site, will share it. Our intentions are pure, it’s my mission to make it all clean, we have done a lot in two months, will do much more. I pledge it.”