Madan Mohan Mittal, Industries & Commerce Minister, Punjab has issued strict Instructions to all the District officers and other officers of the department to check the illegal mining in the state. He said that State Government is initiating stringent measures to control illegal mining and a comprehensive plan has been made to tighten screw on offenders. Presiding over a High Level Meeting of the Department in Circuit House, Ludhiana today, Mittal said that he would get a detailed report of illegal mining from each district every month. He also encouraged the officers to give their views to hold back the illegal mining. The Minister said that auction process of mining would make easy and after creating groups, department would allot mines by draw system to the successful bidders. He said that industry department would also be equipped with sufficient infrastructure to curb illegal mining and department is also planning to make a special task force to check the illegal mining.
He directed the district officers to send a detailed report regarding illegal mining FIR’s, unauthorised gravel crusher sealed and other irregularities to head office on monthly basis. He also directed the officials of the department to work hard in an honest and transparent manner so that the development and construction work does not get adversely affected. “The Punjab government was fully committed to provide the sand to common man on very nominal rates and for that he has already directed the officers to monitor mining operations in a strict manner, he said. He directed that unauthorised Gravel Crushers would be immediately sealed. In the meantime, it is discussed to establish village level committees to curb sand thefts. He said that for Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Ropar and Mohali, separate General Managers would be appointed as these areas have number of mines and more officers would be deputed there. The Minister informed that 49 mines out of the total 300 had been auctioned and very soon more mines after getting clearance certificate would auction. Mr. Mittal cleared that on sand theft issues there is no political pressure of any kind and offenders would be tackled according to law.