The Illegal Mining Policy Push in Punjab intensified after AAP MLA Dinesh Chadha wrote a strong letter to the Ropar administration. This Illegal Mining Policy Push comes after media reports showed excavators and tippers operating in riverbeds late at night despite the new Mining Policy-2025.
Chadha questioned how newspapers and TV channels could capture such footage while officials claimed they knew nothing. He said the situation exposes weak vigilance and raises doubts about district-level monitoring.
He reminded the administration that the Punjab Government introduced the Mining Policy-2025 under Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to regularise operations and stop illegal structures. Any violation now, he argued, goes beyond an administrative gap. It shows wilful negligence by the officials responsible for enforcement.
The MLA highlighted that the new policy includes several strict measures. These include scientific demarcation of mining blocks, e-auction of all sites, CCTV cameras at loading points, and GPS-based tracking of tippers and excavators. Digital transit passes now record each consignment and help prevent pilferage. A complete ban on night mining applies unless written permission is granted for rare cases.
Chadha demanded personal accountability for every officer, from mining inspectors to SHOs. He said illegal extraction, even after such a transparent system, challenges the authority of the Punjab Government. Strong action, he stated, must begin immediately.
He urged the DC and SSP to ensure full, district-wide implementation of the Mining Policy-2025. Continued unauthorised mining, he warned, damages the environment and weakens public trust in the administration.
