CHANDIGARH: Leader of opposition (LoP) Partap Singh Bajwa on Tuesday disputed claims of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government that it had managed to stop illegal mining in Punjab.
Bajwa said, "Minister for mines Harjot Singh Bains should stop lying through his teeth as media reports refute his claim of putting an end to illegal sand mining in Punjab. Few days ago, the high court had rapped Bhagwant Mann government on the knuckles on unbridled mining in border areas posing a national security threat."
He also claimed that the prices of sand had also not been properly regulated by the state government and those planning to start construction were feeling the pinch.
There is a complete ban on river sand mining during the rainy season from July 1 to September 30, but it has been alleged that the illegal activity is continuing unabated in different parts of Punjab.
The Punjab and Haryana high court had recently banned mining across the Ravi in Pathankot and Gurdaspur districts.
