Stubble burning, mining raise a dust

CHANDIGARH: Frequent heated exchanges were witnessed between the treasury benches and the Opposition parties on Wednesday as 12 Bills were passed in the Punjab assembly on Wednesday. Other issue like illegal mining, visit of UP strongman Raja Bhaiya, toll plaza on road to Sukhvilas resort owned by the Badals and demand for water royalty from other states also rocked the House.

Illegal Mining

When AAP leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira raised the issue of illegal mining and alleged that many Congress leaders were allegedly involved, there was an uproar from the treasury benches. It led to a verbal spat between Khaira on the one side and Brahm Mohindra, Navjot Singh Sidhu and Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on the other.

Khaira pointed out that the report by Justice Narang commission on alleged irregularities in auction of mines in the states was referred to the chief secretary by chief minister Amarinder Singh in August with a 15-day deadline. There has been no action on it still, he said. Warring said an inquiry should be ordered into this case and also against Khaira on the drugs issue.

Sidhu said Khaira's remarks were an "insult to the whole House" and he should be made to apologise.

Raja Bhaiyya's visit

SAD, led by Pawan Kumar Tinu, raised the issue of UP politician Raja Bhaiyya's visit to Kushaldeep Singh Dhillon's place and flashed their pictures. In his reply, Dhillon said Raja Bhaiyya was an elected representative and had even visited the Badals' farmhouse besides being hosted by Bikram Majithia. His claim that he did not know him personally did not stop SAD-BJP MLAs from storming into the well of the House and raising slogans before staging a walkout.

Representative Image

When the issue of toll plaza on a Kharar road, which is not a highway, was raised by AAP MLA Kanwar Sandhu, Congress MLAs brought up the matter of road to Sukhvilas resort, owned by the Badals, saying it was built with government money. When Sandhu said the resort should instead be asked to pay for the toll spot, Mohindra said if a proposal was given in writing on the issue of road from Kurali toll plaza to the resort, it will be considered. Mohindra clarified that otherwise the toll plaza had due sanction.

Stubble burning solution

Amarinder informed the House that the government was working on an action plan to curb the menace of stubble burning and free the state of the resultant smog and pollution. Earlier, Khanna MLA Gurkirat Singh said AAP had tried to make Delhi pollution a political issue. Leader of Opposition and AAP MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira accused the state government of not providing equipment to farmers as mandated by the National Green Tribunal to manage crop residue.