Punjab ex-CM Charanjit Singh Channi flags diggers’ use for mining in Sutlej

Ropar, February 25

Senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, going live on social media, has alleged that large-scale mining was being done in the Sutlej riverbed using heavy machinery, including Poclains and JCBs, near Ropar today.

Channi, who was going towards Jalandhar, got down from his car and filmed the mining activities in the river. A large number of digging machines and tippers can be seen in the video clip. Channi alleged that it was contrary to the claims of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who had claimed that there would be no illegal mining in the state and there would be no use of machinery at any allotted mining site. Mann had claimed that only manual loading of tippers would be allowed at mining sites, said Channi.

Ropar Mining XEN Harshant Verma said there was no mining going on in the area of Ropar district near the spot claimed by the former Chief Minister. The mining sites, however, were operational in the area falling under the jurisdiction of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district, he said.

SBSNagar DC Navjot Pal Singh Randhawa said there were two operational mining sites adjoining the district and he had sent two teams of officials to find any violation in the area.