Sand prices in Punjab might fall as new quarries commissioned

Sand prices in Punjab might come down in the near future with the commissioning of new quarries in the state.

Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday said out of 11 quarries, five had been commissioned earlier and now six more would become operational by Monday. Besides, 29 more mines will be made functional by February 7 after getting clearances from the Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) next week.

While presiding over a meeting, Badal said Punjab had received clearances from MoEF for 11 quarries out of which five mines at Sangera (Moga), Pawat and Kumkalan (Ludhiana), Digana Khurd (Hoshiarpur) and Burj Tehal Das (SBS Nagar) were already functional.

He asked the Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation to operate six new quarries by Monday, including Adranman and Bassian (Moga), Gujjarwal Bet, Mand Chaunta and Miana (Ludhiana) and Jhugian Maha Singh in Jalandhar district.

He also directed the Mandi board to install display boards carrying subsidised rates at quarry sites and delivery points in all the 130 market committees.

Reviewing the availability of mining material, Badal said environment clearances for 29 quarries were in pipeline with MoEF and were likely to get green signal within week and be fully operational by February 7 for the facilitation of general public to purchase sand and gravel on subsidised rates.

Badal also said quarrying of sand and bajri should be accelerated to increase the supply in the market and bring the price to a reasonable level.

He also said Punjab government was committed to providing sand and gravel at reasonable rates to people. The state has also put an embargo on ferrying of sand and gravel out of state and it would be taxed as royalty. He asked the department of industries to issue necessary instructions in this regard to all concerned authorities to implement the decision of state at ground level.

Badal has also formed three mining zones - Doaba, Malwa and Majha - which would be supervised and monitored by three retired officers of Indian Army in the rank of generals. He said these officers would report to Punjab government for necessary actions.

He also said four police officials at each district and three deputy superintendents of police with a superintendent of Police at headquarters in Chandigarh had been deployed to assist the mining officers.