Sukhbir raids illegal sand mining sites in Punjab’s Mukerian

Three days after raids at Beas, Akali chief alleges Congress hand and dares mining department to register case against him

Having conducted a raid on the Beas riverbed in Amritsar district three days ago, Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal along with supporters raided sand mining sites at Mukerian in Hoshiarpur district on Saturday.

Accompanied by his brother-in-law and former state revenue minister Bikram Singh Majithia besides supporters, Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh reached the Hajipur block and alleged that illegal mining was taking place in the area under the patronage of Congress leaders. (HT file photo)

Accompanied by his brother-in-law and former state revenue minister Bikram Singh Majithia besides supporters and mediapersons, Sukhbir reached the Hajipur block and alleged that illegal mining was taking place in the area under the patronage of chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh and other Congress leaders.

He dared mining department officials to register a case against him. “The mining mafia is plundering the land but the mining department is looking the other way as Congress bigwigs are involved in the illegal activity,” Sukhbir said.

He visited mining sites at Dhamian, Sandhwal and Kulian Lubana villages. As his convoy reached Kulian Lubana, those carrying out mining at the site escaped, abandoning the machinery.

Will safeguard interest of Punjabis: Sukhbir

“Shocking state of the mining mafia. After the Beas, visited Mukerian & saw first-hand how mafia has extracted sand up to 200 feet. CM @capt_amarinder & minister @SarkariaTeam should tell Pbis (Punjabis) which law allows extraction of sand up to 200 feet? Officially the limit is 10 feet only,” Sukhbir said in a tweet.

“2 days back when we exposed illegal mining at Beas, Mining Secretary justified the same. I’m waiting how govt will justify illegal activity at Mukerian. We aren’t afraid of cases. Cong govt can register 10 cases against me but I’ll continue to safeguard interests of Punjabis,” he said in another tweet.

Booked in Amritsar for violating norms

On June 30, the SAD chief had made similar charges when he made a visit to Beas river bank in Amritsar. Though at that time, the state mining department had trashed Sukhbir’s accusations and asserted that the site visited by the SAD chief near the Beas river was a legal one.

On July 1, the Amritsar police had booked Sukhbir and two other Akali leaders under sections, including 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the IPC and the Epidemic Diseases Act.