Punjab Minister tells administration to discourage illegal mining
Mar 25, 2022
New Delhi [India], March 25 : Punjab Mines and Geology Minister Harjot Singh Bains, on Wednesday, wrote a letter to all the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) to discourage illegal mining in the state.
In the letter to deputy commissioners, the Cabinet Minister categorically mentioned, "As the Punjab government is against illegal mining, it has come to my notice that illegal mining is going on in many districts of the state. Therefore, you are directed to get the information from the Mining Officer of your district and to demarcate the allotted quarries by putting up flags so that it may be clear that mining is to be done from these sites only."
"But even then, if a case of illegal mining comes to light, it will be the sole responsibility of the SSP concerned. All the Deputy Commissioners and SSPs were asked for strict compliance of the instructions," the letter read.
Notably, after assuming the charge while chairing the meeting of the mining department, the Cabinet Minister instructed the officials to mark all the legal sites across the state to check the illegal mining, saying that by plugging illegal mining, there will be a major boost in the state's exchequer.
