Day after DC’s visit, tippers, JCB machines vanish

Akash Ghai

Tribune News Service

Mohali, July 17 

A day after the Mohali Deputy Commissioner checked illegal mining sites at Khizrabad and Kubbaheri villages, a number of tippers and JCB machines vanished from the site today.

Evidently, these were removed by those involved in unauthorised mining at the site by taking advantage of the authorities’ "laxity" in this regard.

A visit to the mining sites by a Tribune team today revealed that several tippers and JCB machines, that were seen parked at various spots yesterday, were not there.

“The machinery and vehicles should have been impounded by the authorities yesterday. The miners should not have been given time to save their paraphernalia,” said a local resident. 

Asked if any action had been taken by the administration after her visit, Mohali Deputy Commissioner Gurpreet Kaur Sapra said records and documents of the departments concerned were being procured by ADC (General) Charandev Singh Mann (also the nodal officer for mining in the district) to prepare a detailed report in this connection.

“The report will be ready within a day or two and will be sent to the state government. Besides, I have also asked the Mohali SSP and officials of the Mining Department to take steps to check the hazard in the area,” said Sapra, adding that appropriate action would be taken in the matter.

Area MLA Kanwar Sandhu lauded the Mohali Deputy Commissioner for visiting the area after being informed about it three days ago. The AAP MLA, who has constituted teams of his party activists to check the hazard, claimed that the illegal excavation was on till three days ago. “Our teams started stopping the miners and we also apprised the authorities of the development,” said Sandhu.

Demanding the formation of a mining corporation in the state to handle the situation, Sandhu said local mining officers should be held accountable for it. Sandhu said the authorities should also verify whether the stone crushers set up in the area were legal or illegal.