Punjab Cong leaders meet Natarajan, flag sand mining mafia

Raising the issue of illegal sand mining in Punjab with Union Environment and Forest Minister Jayanthi Natarajan, a delegation of Congress leaders from the state today demanded a CBI probe into the issue.
A delegation of Congress MPs, including Punjab Congress chief Pratap Singh Bajwa and Union Ministers Preneet Kaur, Manish Tewari and Santosh Chaudhary, and other state MPs, met Natarajan and said illegal sand mining across Punjab poses a serious danger to environment and has the potential to devastate the lives and livelihood of lakhs of people.
"Punjab government is causing havoc to our environment and virtually flouting every rule as prescribed by the Mines and Minerals (Regulation and Development) Act 1957, Environment Protection Act 1986 and Supreme Court guidelines. So far, only 27 environment clearances had been obtained from the Centre for mining of minor minerals such as gravel," a memorandum submitted to the environment minister alleged.

It charged that as a result of illegal mining, residents of Punjab were facing threat of floods on account of change of course of the rivers. Furthermore, the unscientific sand mining was expected to pollute the under ground water, it added.
Bajwa alleged SAD-BJP government was actively patronising the sand mafia and police and bureaucracy are aiding and colluding with them.
Natarajan told the PPCC chief that she was seized of the matter and two teams of Union Environment Ministry had already conducted an inspection of mining sites in Ropar and Hoshiarpur.
She said she was awaiting report of the inspection teams and assured that if any irregularities were found, the matter would be referred to CBI.

Other MPs who were part of the delegation included Vijay Inder Singla, Sukhdev Singh Libra, Mohinder Singh Kay Pee and Ravneet Singh Bittu.