Ropar dist in grip of mining mafia: MLA

Ropar, November 24

Rebel AAP MLA Amarjit Sandoa claimed that the district was in the grip of mining mafia and said he was preparing to start a stir against them.

The mining mafia, which was ruling the roost during the SAD-BJP regime, has become active again during the Congress rule since August and even “threatened” a reporter of a vernacular daily by sending pictures of a revolver and cartridges on his phone on Wednesday for raising the issue in the newspaper. The police had booked an Amritsar resident in this regard.

Condemning the threat to the scribe, Sandoa said he would not stop raising objections over such issues.

He alleged that the mafia had been allowed to set up check-posts on several roads of the district to collect protection money. He alleged that heavy machines digging river beds in Algran, Palata, Saidpur, Agampur, Bharatgarh and Purkhali was rampant round the clock and the district administration was not doing anything. Bridges too were in danger due to mining in these areas, he said.

He alleged that the district administration had virtually handed over rivers to the mining mafia who had been collecting protection money every month by facilitating mining. He said thousands of tippers loaded with sand and gravel were being shipped from the district under the protection of the mafia.

“Illegal mining as well as protection money racket could not be run at such a large scale without connivance of enforcement agencies,” Sandoa added.

Meanwhile, the Rupnagar District Press Club Association sought security for the scribe and demanded that the head of the goonda tax mafia be booked. —TNS