Kharar MLA alleges illegal mining in Dera Bassi’s Jaroud village, demands action

Kanwar Sandhu (Express File Photo)

MLA of Kharar, Kanwar Sandhu, Tuesday alleged that after digging the “shamlat” lands and the riverines, the illegal miners have now started digging sand in the land which once belonged to the builders. The illegal practice is going on in Jaroud village in Dera Bassi sub-division in the district, he said. They had also visited the village and found that some people were digging the sand illegally from the land. Sandhu had demanded that the district administration should fence the area around the land where illegal mining is going on.

Around 150-acre land was acquired by some private builders to set up a housing project in the name of Gold Forests. But, the builders had abandoned the project following which the land was transferred to the state government around two years back. Since then, the land was lying vacant.

Speaking to Chandigarh Newsline, Kanwar Sandhu said that some of his party volunteers had informed him that around ten days ago, some people started digging up sand at the site following which, he inspected the site and found that some people were present there with JCBs and tippers.

According to party volunteers, illegal mining had started around ten days ago and 50 to 60 trucks of sand were being taken every day. Sandhu added that if immediate action was not taken against the illegal miners, they will dig up deeper craters on the land.

“When I asked , one of them told me that though it is illegal, but since there is no caretaker of the land, they are digging up the sand,” Sandhu claimed. He also met Deputy Commissioner (DC) Gurpreet Kaur Sapra on Monday and sought action against the people who were carrying out the illegal practice. He also added that since the land belongs to the government, the district administration should come forward and save it. “I want the entire area to be fenced and the district administration should put a board claiming that it is the government’s land,” Sandhu demanded.