With an aim of cracking down on illegal mining and tax evasion by the miners, Punjab Mining and Geology Minister Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria on Thursday ordered to register case against those indulged in the illegal practice.
Sarkaria said that Mining Department had received reports of illegal mining from some parts of the State, which had led to heavy losses for the state exchequer and needed to be checked on priority.
This is not for the first time that the Minister has issued such strict directions to the official to act against those indulging in illegal mining. His predecessors had also issued similar directions but the successive governments have failed to crackdown on the illegal mining business in the state.
Directing the Department officials to take strict action against the illegal miners, the Minister also warned that strict action would also be taken against those land owners whose land is being illegally mined.
The recovery will be made according to the extent to which the sand has been extracted and no political interference would be tolerated in the matter, he said.Sarkaria said that out of the total seven mining clusters in Punjab, six have been auctioned and the Punjab Government was fully committed to provide sand to the people at reasonable price.