Ludhiana Amid Clampdown Administration Warns Mining Police Officials Of Action Over Negligence

Deputy commissioner (DC) Himanshu Jain has ordered a clampdown on mining operations and mineral transportation across the district, putting police and mining officials under direct scrutiny, warning of strict action for lapses. The district administration, in... Deputy commissioner (DC) Himanshu Jain has ordered a clampdown on mining operations and mineral transportation across the district, putting police and mining officials under direct scrutiny, warning of strict action for lapses. The district administration, in its order, cited a series of strong observations made by the Punjab and Haryana high court while hearing three petitions filed by residents and panchayats of villages affected by alleged illegal mining along the Sutlej belt. It also mentioned about mounting complaints from residents and gram panchayats of villages, including Boothgarh, Gadapur, Gaunsgarh and Garhi Togar, who alleged rampant illegal mining and large-scale damage to village roads and public infrastructure caused by heavy tipper traffic. According to the administration, the court rejected the claims that the activity was merely “desilting” and observed that the scale of excavation appeared to be illegal mining. The court also held that the DC and the district mining officer would be personally accountable if further instances of illegal mining were reported. During the floods last year which affected several villages in the district, residents had blamed rampant illegal mining for their ordeal. Acting on the court’s directions, the DC, in his orders issued in June 2, called for an immediate halt to all transportation, storage and movement of sand, earth or minerals originating from the controversial Burj Tehal Dass desilting site until further orders. Any violation will invite strict legal action, the order stated. NHAI vehicles confined to highway corridor The order also places restrictions on transportation linked to multiple desilting sites allotted to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for the Ludhiana-Ropar highway project. The administration clarified that vehicles engaged in transporting material from these sites must remain confined to designated highway routes and project corridors. Entry into village roads, internal roads and habitations has been prohibited. Any movement outside authorised routes will be presumed to be illegal transportation of minerals and treated accordingly. 24x7 mining checkpoint near Meharban police station The administration has established a permanent 24-hour checkpoint on Rahon Road outside Meharban police station. Every vehicle carrying minerals passing through the district will be verified. The checkpoint will be monitored through continuous video recording with timestamped footage, which must be submitted weekly to the DC’s office. SHOs, engineers face personal accountability SHOs posted along the Sutlej river belt and officials of the drainage department have been directed to maintain constant surveillance of mining sites. If illegal mining or transportation continues undetected, the concerned SHO and executive engineer could face departmental as well as legal action. The Commissioner of Police has also been instructed to maintain police pickets at vulnerable access points, seize offending vehicles and register FIRs against violators. The public works department has been directed to conduct a survey of roads damaged by heavy vehicles and submit repair