Illegal mining rampant in Ropar despite NGT stay, alleges former Assembly Speaker KP Rana
The Congress leader flays Himachal CM Sukhu for backtracking on his word on entry tax
Former Speaker of the Punjab Assembly and senior Congress leader KP Rana today alleged that illegal mining activities were continuing in Ropar district under the guise of desilting, despite a stay imposed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
Addressing a press conference at Nangal, Rana said he had taken up the matter with the district authorities and urged them to immediately halt such activities. “I spoke to officials and they assured me that ‘desilting’ work would be stopped. However, if it continues, the Congress will stage a protest at the Anandpur Sahib SDM office on Monday,” he warned.
Rana expressed concern that the alleged misuse of desilting operations was causing environmental damage and undermining the authority of the NGT. He said strict compliance with the tribunal’s orders was necessary to prevent further ecological harm in the region.
Taking a dig at Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, Rana accused him of reneging on his word regarding the rollback of the entry tax hike. He said that while Sukhu had announced on the floor of the Assembly that the increased entry tax would be reverted to earlier rates, the subsequent notification told a different story.
Instead of rolling back, the entry tax on private vehicles has been increased from Rs 70 to Rs 100. Rana questioned how people could trust a leader who backtracked on his commitment made in the House.
He added that while Himachal Pradesh might have its own compulsions, the Punjab Congress would continue to stand firmly with the people of the state on the issue of entry tax, which has sparked protests in border areas.
Rana also targeted the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab over the long-standing lease issue concerning residents of Nangal town and the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB). He said that if the government was serious about resolving the matter, it should formulate a clear policy and transfer property ownership rights to the residents.
“The AAP government is merely indulging in politics over the issue and is not genuinely interested in resolving it,” he alleged.
