NURMAHAL
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Wednesday alleged that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) activists and leaders are indulging in excavating sand illegally along the Sutlej River in Nurmahal sub-tehsil areas.
SAD Jalandhar (rural) president and former Nakodar MLA Gurpartap Singh (GS) Wadala said in a press release that the so-called leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party have been doing illegal sand mining for a very long time in Sango Wal village.
Wadala said that this process has been continuously going on for many weeks. The residents of the area approached the government's mining officers and higher authorities in various departments in Chandigarh. Despite the knowledge of the government officers and mining officials, this illegal mining and illegitimate business did not stop. There is no government-sanctioned sand mine in the village of Sango Wal. The vast area of the village comprising many acres has been dug for illegal sand mining.
The SAD leader said this illegal mining goes on during the day as well as at night and the public of the area is very disturbed by this illegal activity and leaders and MLAs of the Aadmi Party are involved in this business.
People who are involved in this illegal activity use the slips of the government-approved mines of village Dhagara which is illegal.
Wadala said that a few days ago, a bogus FIR was registered at Bilga police station against innocent persons of village Dhagara by Aam Aadmi Party activists who are involved in illegal mining. This FIR is completely fake and fabricated by AAP workers who were also involved in the money laundering of 40 lacs in connection with the smuggling of a poppy husk truck recently.
Former MLA said that greedy persons associated with the Aam Aadmi Party forcibly excavate sand from the lands of poor farmers and make a profit of crores. The small and poor farmers were not given anything in return for the illegal sand mining from their fields. Illegal sand mining is going on a large scale and 100 to 150 tippers and trolleys are being sold every day.
Wadala said that this whole mining business is going on under the government's watch because the sand is excavated in Sangowal by using the mining receipts of the mine in the village of Dhagara. This illegal mining is costing the government exchequer crores of rupees. The rate of sand which was announced by the AAP government has not been implemented as sand is being sold at a premium price. Nowhere is the sand sold at the government's fixed price.
The SAD leader said that the mining mafia of AAP men are earning crores of rupees and is being run by MLA and their associates. This is as good as committing treason with the land of Punjab.
Due to the illegal and wrongful digging of sand near the riverbed, the direction of the flow of water of river Sutlej can change. This can damage the adjoining villages like Sadhara. This fact distrusts the hardworking people of the area.
Wadala said that we want to bring to the notice of the Chief Minister that your party’s MLAs and leaders are involved in illegal sand mining and government officials are also hand in glove with them. Different departments of the government, whether it is mining, or police have become tools at the hands of the mining mafia.
The Aam Aadmi Party made big claims and said that thousands of crores of revenue will be generated by the Punjab government with sand mining. Now it has been nearly 2 years since the formation of the government and the illegal sand mining business is going on openly. It is not hidden from the people of Punjab that Aam Aadmi Party MLAs and leaders are involved in illegal sand mining.
Former MLA said that we are bringing the illegal mining business of AAP leaders in village Sangowal to the attention of the Chief Minister of Punjab, hoping that the illegal sand mining will be stopped. The persons involved in it should be booked according to law and necessary action must be taken against all persons who have damaged Punjab’s treasury.