Sarpanch alleges illegal mining, claims threats from contractors

A mining company has been accused of carrying out illegal mining on over 10 acres of panchayat land in Lal Chhappar village under the Radaur subdivision of Yamunanagar district. The allegations were made by Akash, the village sarpanch, who claims that the company continued operations despite the expiration of its agreement with the panchayat.

Sarpanch Akash lodged a complaint with Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, urging action against the company’s owners and contractors. He also wrote to Superintendent of Police (SP) Rajiv Deswal, alleging threats from the company for attempting to halt the illegal mining.

“The gram panchayat had entered into an agreement with the mining company to extract minerals from 82 kanals (over 10 acres) of panchayat land. The agreement ended on August 30, 2024, but the company continued mining despite our objections,” said Sarpanch Akash.

According to Akash, he, along with District Development and Panchayat Officer Narinder Singh, Block Development and Panchayat Officer Sachet Mittal, and panchayat secretary Pravesh Kumar, conducted a spot inspection on December 18, 2024. They allegedly found that mining activities were ongoing despite the expired agreement.

"We repeatedly asked the company to cease operations after the agreement ended, but they ignored our warnings," added Akash.

On the other hand, the mining company’s owner, Gurpreet Sabharwal, denied the allegations, claiming that the sarpanch was making baseless accusations.

"We adhered to all rules and did not violate any norms. After the agreement ended, we stopped mining on the land and requested the sarpanch to renew the agreement. Instead, he started blackmailing us for personal gain,” alleged Sabharwal.

Sabharwal stated that he had written to the District Mining Officer and the Block Development and Panchayat Officer, Radaur, to address the issue. He also sent a letter to the Station House Officer (SHO), seeking the registration of an FIR against the sarpanch for alleged blackmail.

Sarpanch Akash categorically denied Sabharwal’s allegations, reiterating his demand for immediate action against the mining company for its unlawful activities.

The case has raised concerns over the management and accountability of mining operations on public land in the region. Both parties have submitted complaints to the authorities and an investigation is likely to follow.