As Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar and the State Local Government Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu’s assertion on the rampant illegal mining in the state failed to go down well with the powers-that-be, the duo on Tuesday issued a joint statement lauding the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s initiatives to check illegal mining.
In a joint statement, both Jakhar and Sidhu have said that the people of Punjab had voted Congress to power in the assembly elections to get rid of SAD-BJP Government’s 10-yearly misrule, and Capt Amarinder Singh led Government would come to expectations of people soon.
“The time of illegal activities has passed, and now in Punjab, the rule of law is in force,” said the two.
Lauding Capt Amarinder’s initiatives to check illegal mining, they said that the Chief Minister has already directed the concerned officials to take stringent action against illegal mining and tax evasion in the state.
“The Government has ordered the creation of special multi-departmental joint teams, headed by respective Deputy Commissioners in all the districts, which will take immediate action against the illegal mining and tax evasion,” they said.
The State Congress chief Jakhar said that during Assembly elections, we had promised people of the state that sand and gravel would be provided at cheaper rates and all kinds of illegal activities would be strongly prohibited.
“In this regard, the Chief Minister had on Monday clarified the stand of the Government that the Government would not tolerate any lapse in this regard. The Government is very serious about the problem of illegal mining and no one engaged in this work will be waived at any cost,” he said.
He said that the law of land would strictly deal with those who will make any attempt to harm the public exchequer due to illegal mining and tax evasion, he added.
Jakhar said that earlier, the truck unions had been dissolved by the State Government, which has benefited the businessmen, farmers and industrialists in the state. “On the same pattern, the State Government would remove all obstacles which would inhibit the development of the state,” he assured.
Notably, Sidhu and Jakhar admitted that the Government need to do a lot to curb the illegal mining in the State, Sidhu, who was addressing the media in Jalandhar along with Jakhar on Sunday, had questioned his own Government’s seriousness in curbing illegal sand mining.
Asking what was stopping the Government from impounding trucks carrying illegal sand, Sidhu had said that if Himachal Pradesh Government can curb illegal mining, why cannot Punjab.
Day after, Capt Amarinder convened a high level meeting to discuss the mining issue. Among other things, Capt Amarinder had also issued a warning that no political interference would be tolerated in the matter and instructed officials to initiate the crackdown on priority, without delay.