BJP slams AAP for ignoring monsoon mining ban

National BJP leader Sukhminderpal Singh Grewal has criticised the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab Government for its failure to enforce the annual monsoon mining ban, even as heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh have caused river levels to rise and flood warnings to be issued across the region.

With dams filling up rapidly and rivers in spate, downstream areas in Punjab are under serious threat — yet the state government appears to be asleep at the wheel.

He pointed out that every year, from July 1 to September 30, mining in and around riverbeds is officially banned to protect riverbanks, prevent erosion and ensure public safety during the monsoon. Shockingly, the AAP government has failed to implement this vital measure this year, allowing sand and gravel mining to continue unchecked in several districts.

He also slammed the government’s complete failure to repair and reinforce embankments and protective bunds in vulnerable zones. “This is the time when the state should be strengthening its defenses against floods. Instead, no visible work has been done, and people living in low-lying areas are being left to their fate,” he said.

Raising serious questions about the intent behind such negligence, Grewal asked whether the state machinery is acting under pressure from the sand mafia or whether the Aam Aadmi Party has become so arrogant that it is willing to gamble with people’s lives.

He demanded an immediate halt to all illegal mining activities during the monsoon season, urgent repairs of embankments, and full accountability from the departments and ministers responsible for disaster management, mining, and water resources.