Illegal sand mining unearthed in Ajnala, three trucks seized

The Mining Department, along with the Ajnala police, on Wednesday raided Ballarwal village in Ajnala and unearthed three sites allegedly being used for illegal sand mining.

During the raid, officials found three pits dug up at the sites and seized three trucks loaded with illegally excavated sand.

Around 1,500 cubic feet of sand was found loaded in the vehicles. However, drivers of the trucks and other persons allegedly involved in digging and loading the sand managed to flee the spot during the raid.

Interestingly, the Mining Department had already taken action against one of the huge pits found during the latest raid, raising questions over the recurrence of illegal mining activity at the same location right under the nose of the police and the authorities concerned. The Ajnala constituency is represented by AAP chief spokesperson and MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal.

Vishavpal Singh, XEN, Mining Department, said a complaint had been lodged with the police following the raid. The police subsequently registered a case under Section 303(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 21(1) of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act. He said the department took prompt action whenever they received any information regarding illegal sand mining.

He said the police would investigate the matter and identify owners of the land where illegal mining was allegedly being carried out. Further action would be taken against those found involved in the activity, he added.

The seizure of the trucks and discovery of fresh excavation despite earlier action by the department has brought the issue of persistent illegal sand mining in the area into focus.