Kharar MLA wants armed guards to curb illegal mining

Our Correspondent

Kharar, June 20

Kharar MLA Kanwar Sandhu has demanded “militancy-style nakas”, manned by armed guards, at various check points on main roads and dirt tracks to stop illegal mining in the state.

Accompanied by some media persons, Sandhu visited the site of “illegal” mining at Jayanti Majri Dam (near Seonk Village in Mohali district) with Majri block AAP Pradhan, Dalwinder Singh Benipal, and some villagers. This is the area where some forest officials were attacked on Monday night. One of them, Devinder Singh, is battling for life while another Karnail Singh is waiting to be operated for his injuries at the PGI.

The Forest Department has finally snapped the ‘kutcha’ track to prevent four-wheelers and tractor-trailers from reaching the river bed behind the dam, where sand was allegedly being excavated.

“Why was this not done when I was complaining for the past six months that illegal mining is prevalent in the belt? Was government sleeping?” said the MLA.

Since the ‘kutcha’ track has been snapped, the MLA and others were seen going to the river bed on motorcycles. He showed to media the area deep inside the river bed where the “illegal” miners have played havoc with the ecology — the river bed lies devastated.

The MLA has demanded that the police should not only arrest the tipper and tractor drivers, but it should identify the real culprits operating the mafia. “All this can’t go on without the connivance of the influential politicians of the Congress and the erstwhile rulers — SAD,” Sandhu alleged.

He also demanded that crushers should be allowed only in the areas in areas where mining sites are auctioned. “In Khizrabad, area of Kharar where many crushers are operating, there is not even one authorised mining site,” he said.