Illegal mining: 'Administrative lapse or wilful negligence?' Ropar MLA Chadha fires missive at DC, SSP

Ropar AAP MLA Dinesh Chadha has written to the district administration, asking it to implement the new Punjab State Mining Policy-2025 to curb illegal mining in its jurisdiction. Quoting news on illegal mining published in The Tribune, Chadha, in a strongly worded letter to the Ropar Deputy Commissioner (DC) and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), has demanded immediate action and strict enforcement of the policy.

In his letter, Chadha has stated that recent investigative reports in an English newspaper have shown excavators and tippers operating in riverbeds during late-night hours in Ropar district. “If newspapers and channels can capture the footage so openly, how can the administration claim ignorance?” he wrote, questioning the vigilance of the district authorities.

Chadha stated that the Punjab Government, under Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, implemented the Mining Policy-2025 in July this year with the aim of fully regularising mining operations and eliminating illegal structures that previously flourished due to lax monitoring. Any deviation from the policy framework now cannot be seen merely as an administrative lapse but must be treated as willful negligence by officials responsible for enforcement.

The MLA has demanded that personal responsibility and accountability of the officers must concerned be fixed if mining takes place outside permitted hours or approved sites. “The government has created a transparent, technology-based system. If illegal extraction still happens, it raises questions about the seriousness of local enforcement,” he said.

Chadha urged the DC and SSP to ensure that officials at every level from mining inspectors to SHO rank officers and patrolling teams are held answerable for any violations detected in their respective jurisdictions.

He further wrote that the continuation of unauthorised mining despite a comprehensive policy reflects poorly on the district administration, and immediate corrective steps must be taken.

Punjab State Mining Policy-2025 was approved in July 2025. Its major features include scientific demarcation of mining blocks based on environmental assessments so that extraction does not damage riverbeds or surrounding ecology.

It calls for e-auction of all mining sites to prevent cartelisation and ensure fair competition among contractors.

It entails a GPS-enabled tracking of tippers, excavators and all transportation vehicles to monitor real-time movement of mined material. The policy puts a complete ban on night mining, except in rare cases approved under written permission by competent authority. It entails the installation of CCTV cameras at mining and loading points for a round-the-clock monitoring. The policy puts in place a system of digital transit passes for every consignment, auto-generated and linked to royalty payments, preventing forged documents and pilferage. The policy lists harsh penalties, including cancellation of mining contracts and FIRs, for anyone found involved in or supporting illegal mining.

It calls for defined accountability chain, fixing of responsibility on both mining and police officials for lapses in enforcement.

In the letter, Chadha has urged Ropar administration to ensure immediate and complete implementation of the Mining Policy-2025 across Ropar district. “Any illegal mining activity now is not just a crime against the environment, it is a direct challenge to the authority and intention of the Punjab government,” he wrote.