High Court nod to mining in Ropar, Pathankot, Fazilka districts

Chandigarh, January 10

The Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC) today allowed the State of Punjab to go ahead with mining in three districts of Rupnagar, Pathankot and Fazilka. The Division Bench of Chief Justice Ravi Shanker Jha and Justice Arun Palli passed the orders on the state’s plea during the resumed hearing of a matter in which government was claiming shortage of construction material in Punjab.

7 booked for illegal mining

Ferozepur: The police have booked seven persons in four cases of illegal mining in district. Those booked are Jarnail Singh of Jakhrawa village, Jagsir Singh, Surjit Singh, Vakil Singh, Harjinder Singh, his brother Dharminder Singh and Nachhatar Singh. Jarnail was arrested by the police. OC

The order will not be applicable to areas along the international border. Earlier, the state had sought stay on State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) order passed in September and November last year, in which it was asked to immediately stop all mining activities at various de-silting sites in the state.

The Bench, during hearing, was told by state’s Advocate General Vinod Ghai that District Survey Reports (DSRs) regarding three districts had been approved by the SEIAA, subject to environmental clearance. Talking to the media, Ghai confirmed the development, stating that the Bench had permitted mining and de-silting in three districts and matter had been deferred for further hearing on January 23.