HC issues notice to Punjab on illegal mining

Notices have been issued by the Punjab and Haryana High Court to the state of Punjab and other parties based on a writ petition to explain its allowing of illegal mining being carried out at Ropar.

The other parties are the Director,Industries and Commerce,Punjab,Mining Officer,Industries Department of Punjab,the State Geologist and B S Brar,the general manager-cum-mining officer of the Department of Mining.

The appellant had filed a notice stating that illegal mining was being allowed at some locations at Ropar despite court directions against it. He had himself stopped operations after being issued directions that mining be stopped,pending environmental clearance.

However,the government had allowed illegal mining to be continued there,permitting the stone crushers to continue with the units by putting a partial royalty. Presently,the stone crushers are running the units by getting the raw material of sand and bajari from Ropar and are lifting the raw materials from nadi or khad despite the fact that mining has been stopped by the court. There is sufficient proof regarding this,including photographs showing illegal mining.

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