Check illegal mining with heavy hand: Sukhbir

SSPs to submit monthly report on progress of investigation in illegal mining cases

Chandigarh, August 16: Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today issued strict instructions to all SSPs of the state to work in total tandem with the industry department and mining department to check the illegal mining in the state.

In the instructions issued to all SSPs of the districts through Director General of Police, Badal said that it would be their responsibility to launch a coordinated campaign against illegal mining of minerals in the state and launch prosecution against offenders as per law.

Badal said that he would personally monitor the performance of each SSP. Instructions have also been issued to all SSPs to submit detailed monthly report to Deputy Chief Minister’s Office giving details of number of cases of illegal mining detected in that month, progress of investigation or submission of challan in the court in such cases besides progress in the court cases of illegal mining.

The Deputy Chief Minister also asked Chief Secretary Rakesh Singh to issue instructions to all Deputy Commissioners to check such cases and keep a watch on availability of mining products to the general public. He said that it would be the responsibility of every Deputy Commissioner to ensure that there was no artificial shortage of mining products. He said that it would be also responsibility of DCs to ensure that public was supplied mining products as per the rates approved in the mining policy.