Punjab Assembly asks Centre to take measures on sand crisis

The Punjab Assembly today passed a resolution asking the Centre to amend its policies and reduce the processing period to help the state overcome the problems related to shortage of sand and gravel.
The resolution was proposed by Industries Minister Madan Mohan Mittal and was passed by the Assembly despite strong opposition by Congress members.
Proposing the resolution, Mittal said the number of quarries increased many-fold during the SAD-BJP regime.
He, however, blamed the state Congress leadership and the Centre for creating problems and putting the sand mining in legal complications.
The Minister also accused the state Congress leadership of creating a hue and cry across the state and said it was hitting the state's development pace.

Denying leniency towards any person involved in illegal mining, Mittal said the state thorough high-power district committees had started the process of allotting sand quarries but that initiative was also halted with the court imposing stay on it and directing to get the whole procedure route through the State Appraisal Committee formed by Centre.

He claimed that 14 cases of auction for mining had been cleared at all levels, but waiting for Centre's clearance.
Speaking on the matter, SAD MLA Daljeet Singh Cheema highlighted the state government's efforts to make the things streamline and blamed the Congress for complicating the issue.

Congress MLAs, including Charanjit Singh Channi, Jagmohan Singh Kang and CLP leader Sunil Jakhar, countered the minister's claims.
Jakhar accused the state government of making its bureaucrats bear the brunt of courts as the government was intentionally avoiding submitting an affidavit about its Mining Policy before the high court.