Cops crack down on illegal mining in Patiala

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Patiala, March 6

There seems to be no end to illegal sand mining in the district. The Patiala police lodged four FIRs and seized Poclain machines and tractor-trailers in the past 48 hours.

The Patiala police said during a surprise checking, the district mining officer noticed a Poclain machine in the farm fields between Untsar and Loh Simbly villages in the Ghanaur block of the district. Consequently, the mining officer rushed to the spot. He found that the mining was carried out illegally and impounded sand-laden trucks and Poclain machines from the spot.

Meanwhile, another mining officer also detected an illegal mining at Raipur village in the Ghanaur block of the district.

The police have registered cases under Section 21(1) and 4(1) of the Mines & Minerals Act.

In one more incident of illegal mining at Julkan block of the district, Sub-Divisional Magistrate-cum-Assistant Mining Officer impounded a JCB machine from the Tangri river bed near Harigarh village. However, the driver of the JCB managed to flee from the spot, the police said.

Illegal sand mining was also found to be carried out at Alipur Sikhan village in the same block. Drivers of a JCB machine and two tractors fled from the spot leaving their vehicles behind. The police impounded the vehicles from the spot.

Out of the four FIRs, three have been registered against unidentified persons only.