Curbs fail to stop illegal mining in Ferozepur dist

Anirudh Gupta

Ferozepur, February 27

Ten months after Capt Amarinder Singh-led Congress government assumed charge, illegal mining is still going on, allegedly at the behest of the ruling party leaders.

The process is carried out in an organised manner as the percentage of profit of all stakeholders, including operators, contractors, besides the politicians, is allegedly fixed to avoid any bickering. In the four Assembly segments in Ferozepur district, there are 35 approved mining sites which were allotted through reverse auction process besides another two quarries were allocated through progressive bidding. However, the number of illegal sites is much more as the mining of sand and gravel is being carried out at several locations in a clandestine manner.

In several villages like Changali, Chugattewala, Baler and Bela Singh, situated along the north axis of the NH-95, dozens of tractor-trailers and tippers are loaded with sand daily, using JCBs and Pok-lane machines in an illegal manner. Not only are most of these sites are illegal, the digging is also being done below the approved levels. Earlier, a whistleblower, Pawan Taneja, had sent a letter to the CM stating that daily, 1,800-2,000 tippers/trailers were being allegedly sold illegally in various parts of the district. Later, the administration had got into action and several FIRs were registered in this connection. However, the practice is still going on unabated.

Deputy Commissioner Ramvir claimed the administration had broken the nexus to a considerable extent. “I will look into it and ascertain the connivance of the department concerned, if any, besides the local politicians,” he said. He said in the past few months, 123 FIRs had been registered against 212 persons for illegal mining. “We have also seized 126 vehicles, including JCBs and 33 Pok-lane machines, besides Rs 13.5 crore has been levied as penalty to date,” he said, adding that licence for 13 sand pits had been cancelled.

“Notwithstanding the punitive measures claimed by the administration, mining is rampant as the nexus is too deep to be busted,” said an official, pleading anonymity. “Only faces have changed, illegal mining in going on in the same manner even after the change of guard,” he added.

Congress MLA Parminder Singh Pinki admitted that the scourge of illegal mining was denting the image of the government. “All MLAs should identify people involved in illegal mining and take them to task,” he said, claiming that there was no illegal mining in his constituency.