Punjab: 201 cases filed against illegal mining activities in 3 months

Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], Aug 7 : The Punjab Mining and Geology Department registered as many as 201 cases against 189 persons involved in illegal mining activities in the past three months, said the state government on Friday.
"As many as 201 cases against 189 persons involved in illegal mining activities in the last three months- May to July, 2020. A total of 299 vehicles and machines being used for illegal mining have also been seized across the state in the past three months," read an official release.
In the last three months, the highest number of illegal mining cases had been registered from Ludhiana, SBS Nagar, Hoshiarpur and Ropar, it stated.
Punjab Mining and Geology Minister Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria said, "Vehicles used for mining material must have a slip of mining department. All those vehicles that did not have the mining department slip to carry mining material were being seized and legal action was being taken against them."
Sarkaria further said that strict action would also be taken against owners on those lands where illegal mining was being done. He also directed to confiscate vehicles used for the practices.
"Besides confiscating vehicles carrying mining material illegally, legal action has also been initiated against the landowner, whose land was being used for the illegal practice. Miners and the landowners are equally responsible for the illegal practice," said S K Gupta, Chief Engineer Mining.