Will approach HC if illegal mining isn’t stopped: Bains

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 23

Simarjit Singh Bains, Independent MLA, who initiated satyagraha against the sand mafia, today said he would approach senior mining officers to take action against the mafia. He threatened to approach the high court if the officials did not crack down on illegal mining.

“We have collected reports from several districts where illegal sand mining is going unchecked with the involvement of Akali leaders, mining officials and the police. We will pressure the general mangers of the Mining Department to come with us and seize the machines being operated by the mafia. We will do this in the presence of the media. If the mining officials refuse to come along, we will approach the high court.”

On the change in strategy, Bains said even though they had been in jail for several days, protesting against the sand mafia, illegal mining went unchecked. Therefore, he said, they had decided to take on the mafia.

Bains said they had visited sand mines allocated by the government. He said the mafia dug around 150 acres for every 5 acres allocated by the government. Moreover, the mafia used drilling machines to dig deep into the ground, disregarding the government directive of not digging over 5 feet deep.

‘Sukhbir ordered Pinki’s reinstatement’

On the reinstatement of former police cat Pinki as head constable, Bains alleged he had been reinstated on the orders of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal. He further said after the matter was exposed by the media, Sukhbir made the DIG a scapegoat.