Mohali: Villagers protest against illegal sand mining, allege inaction by administration

Bhag Singh, an Abhipur resident, said that they have been holding the protest since September 14 after they found that tipper trucks were moving in their village. He added that there was no legal sand mine in the area.

“We had lodged a complaint with Kharar SDM. We are putting up night nakas at the village by taking risk but the district administration did not do anything to protect the protesting villagers,” Bhag Singh said.

Ranjodh Singh, another resident of the village, said that the villagers had been holding the protest for the past six days under constant fear of the mining mafia.

He added that in the past the residents who were carrying out the protest against illegal mining were attacked.

Ranjodh Singh said, “The tipper trucks were still moving in the area and changed the routes. The district administration seems to be sleeping as no action has been taken against any of the illegal miners.”

Deputy Commissioner Girish Dayalan on Saturday said that strict action would be taken against the people involved in illegal sand mining.

“We warn the people involved in illegal sand mining in the area. I have issued guidelines to the relevant officers for taking action against such people,” Deputy Commissioner Girish Dayalan said.

To keep a check on illegal sand mining in and around Abhipur village, the village residents have also installed CCTV cameras in the area. The villagers had captured the movement of sand laden tipper trucks in the area in the installed CCTV cameras.

The area is notorious for illegal sand mining and in the past, several local residents have reported about the illegal activities to the administration.