Punjab Govt set to launch public mining sites to ensure fair price

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 30

The Mining Department is all set to introduce public mining sites in the state to ensure that sand and gravel are available at reasonable rates to the public.

Mining and Geology Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer said these sites would help in checking any malpractice to jack up the prices of sand and give the freedom of choice to the common man to buy sand from the source and price of his choice.

Rs 5.50/sq ft rate

• It is a mine where any person can purchase sand by paying only Rs 5.50 per sq ft
• Such a person will get his own transport vehicle along with labour to extract sand
• No JCBs or any other mechanical mining will be allowed
• “These sites will help in checking malpractice to jack up sand price,” said Hayer

The minister said the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh would shortly announce details of all such sites in various districts in the state. The first public mining site would be inaugurated soon, he said.

Hayer said such site would be a mine where any person, requiring sand for his personal use, could purchase it by paying only Rs 5.50 per sq ft. Such a person would be required to get his own transport vehicle along with labour to extract the required quantity of sand from the site. No JCBs or any other similar machine for mechanical mining would be allowed in any public mining site nor would any contractors be allowed to mine in it, he said.

Government officials would be present at the site to collect the sale price and issue a proper receipt against for it.

Elaborating on the availability of sand and gravel in the state, the minister said mining operations had resumed in Ropar and Pathankot districts and would soon commence in other districts too.

#gurmeet singh meet hayer