Studies, ED probes bare baffling economics of illegal mining in Punjab

Lalit Mohan

Ropar, Updated At : 07:11 AM Jul 03, 2026 IST

File photo.

The mining sector of Punjab presents a striking contradiction. While the state’s mining revenue has reportedly increased from Rs 250 crore to Rs 600 crore in the last financial year, recent studies, enforcement actions and investigations suggest that the value of illegally extracted minerals from the state’s riverbeds could run into several thousand crores.

THE TRIBUNE, India’s oldest, daily English-language newspaper, was first published on February 2, 1881, in Lahore (now in Pakistan), and save for 40 days in the immediate aftermath of Partition, has come out every day over the last 145 years. THE TRIBUNE was started by Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia, a public-spirited philanthropist of the time. The newspaper is run by a five-member Trust, which is chaired by Shri N N Vohra, former Governor of J&K State (2008-2018); as well as Justice S S Sodhi, former Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court; Shri Gurbachan Jagat, former Governor of Manipur; Lt Gen. Shamsher Singh Mehta, former Western Army Commander; Shri Paramjit Singh Patwalia, Senior Advocate in the Supreme Court.

THE TRIBUNE is free, objective, and independent. Restraint and moderation, rather than agitational language, are the hallmarks of the paper.

The Tribune has two sister publications, Punjabi Tribune (in Punjabi) and Dainik Tribune (in Hindi).

Remembering Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia

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Studies, ED probes bare baffling economics of illegal mining in Punjab

Lalit Mohan

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