Rising illegal mining needs to be checked: Pb Industry Min

With growing concern over illegal mining of sand and gravel going "unchecked" in Punjab, state Industry Minister Madan Mohan Mittal today said such a practice was taking place and needed to be checked.
"I was the first to raise the issue (of illegal mining) during my tenure as Ropar District Planning Board Chairman," the newly appointed Industry Minister Mittal said in an interface with media here.
Taking exception to reports by a section of media on the collection of "goonda tax" for mining under political patronage in Pathankot region of the state, he said, "I have taken cognisance of it and directed officers to compile a report on it soon."

He stressed that illegal mining needs to be checked in the state and admitted that there ware shortcomings in the industrial department.
"I will fill up the loop holes and pull up the officers of the department to set things straight," he said.
Mittal described checking illegal mining as the "tallest challenge" before him as the state industry minister.
"There is need to regulate and check illegal mining," he said.