NEIGHBOURHOOD

Sand Mafia
Contractors evade royalty worth crores
Varinder Singh
Tribune News Service

Patiala, March 24
Royalty worth crores of rupees on ‘minor minerals’ particularly sand, is going down the drain in Punjab, thanks to well-established, politically influential and growing nexus between influential sand mafia and certain officials in Patiala and surrounding areas.

The Punjab Minor Minerals Concession Rules 1964 specified that sand used for earth filling of residential and commercial plots, roads and other places was a ‘minor mineral’.

The rules stipulated that people lifting and utilising sand, even from private agricultural lands, would have to pay royalty at the rate of Rs 5 per ton to the government. But ironically, these rules have virtually remained on paper as hardly anyone lifting sand from privately owned fields was complying with them due to a combination of laxity on the part of officials concerned and political influence yielded by sand contractors.

Trade sources revealed that sand contractors made farmers agree for lifting sand from their fields after paying them a meager and one-time amount of Rs 30,000 to Rs 45,000 per acre. After their agreement, they excavated hundreds of tons of sand from a field resulting in five to 10 feet deep pits. Although excavated sand was sold further and was used for ‘earth filling’ of plots and roads but the state exchequer suffered a huge loss as neither any royalty was paid to the government by such contractors nor any prior permission was sought from the geological department of the department of mines.

Sand excavation was going on at a large scale around Patiala and Rajpura townships but the authorities were seemingly sleeping over the loss of the state exchequer and no action was being taken against the defaulters or people indulging in theft of royalty. Sand was also being excavated on a large scale at Bhawanigarh and Vazidpur.

What was more interesting was that although the mining officials were authorised to recommend punitive action - imprisonment of upto two years and a fine of upto Rs 25,000 - against defaulters but no action has been taken against anyone so far.

Even as the director, department of industries, had formed district-level task force teams with DCs and SSPs as their members with an objective for stalling the large-scale sand royalty theft, still no corrective or preventive action has been in sight for a long time anywhere in the state.

When contacted, district mining officer Amarjit Singh said major problem faced by his department was that of shortage of staff. “We don’t have requisite staff for stopping of the theft of revenue”.

Official sources pointed out that that efforts of the department to plug revenue loss went haywire as political or bureaucratic interference stood a hindrance whenever officials tried to check tractor-trailers laden with sand.

Patiala, March 24
The United Nations’ special rapporteur on religion or belief Asma Jahangir has assured the Culture and Heritage Conservation Initiative, a heritage body engaged in conservation of religious heritage structure at Ghu-Ram, the ‘abode of Rama’ at ‘Ghuram’ near Pehova, that she would take stock of the situation in respect of alleged threat to existence of the ‘holy structure’ at the place.

The Culture and Heritage Conservation Initiative has been seeking the intervention and help of the United Nations (UN) in its ongoing initiative to help save the ‘Ram-Setu’ and Ghu-Ram, which it described as priceless religious heritage monuments, not only of a particular religion but of the entire humanity.

Citing the Patiala state gazette, published in 1904, the organisation contended that ‘Ghu-Ram’ was in fact the “nanihal” (maternal home) of Lord Rama and it was believed that Lord Rama was born at the place - now known as Ghuram.

Dr Manjit Singh Randhawa, convener of the initiative, alleged that the SAD-BJP combine was doing nothing to save the ‘holy structure’ at the place. “We are seeking intervention of the UN because the threat is real and serious,” he said.

“In a telephonic conversation, Asma Jahangir, who was currently on a visit to India, has agreed to give us a personal hearing on the issue, which involved the religious sentiments of millions of believers in Sri Ram and Ramayana,” said Dr Randhawa.

He said the heritage body undertook a comprehensive research to geographically identify places related to Lord Rama of Ayodhya as described in ‘Valmik Ramayan’ and ‘Puranic’ literature.

The research with the help of satellite imaging of Indian sub-continent perfectly matched the descriptive geographical details of various mountains, rivers and sites related with Ramayana including ‘Ghu-Ram’ and ‘Ram-Setu’, as recorded by ‘Brahm Rishis’ in ‘Puranic’ literature through divine vision and knowledge.

He maintained that this research work could even help resolve the religious conflict of ‘Ram Janam Bhoomi - Babri Masjid’.

Meanwhile, addressing a prayer meeting and demonstration of people from different faiths on ‘Ghu-Ram’ and ‘Ram-Setu’ issues, Kamal Pal, pastor of Central Methodist Church, Patiala, said all places of worship and heritage monuments belonged to the entire humanity irrespective of these being identified with a particular faiths, and their protection was the responsibility of all fellow human beings. He appealed to the UN, centre and Punjab governments to protect and conserve such monuments. Pastor Prabhu Charan also addressed the gathering.

Kharar, March 24
The Kharar municipal council passed its Rs 17.11-crore budget unanimously for the fiscal year 2008-09. With this, the MC has earmarked Rs 15.25 crore for development purposes, Rs 2.19 crore for establishment and Rs 67 lakh for contingency.

The major development projects in the MC limits will include municipal stadium, two community centers and a solid waste management and treatment plant.

The proposed expenditure on development would include Rs 13.17 crore for non-committed development and Rs 2.08 crore for committed development.

Taking a decision over the traders’ opposition to house tax, the house was of the opinion that new assessment be shelved and tax be taken as per assessment of last year.

This year, the MC had levied tax even on self-occupied property, which drew ire from the trader community. The traders had even gone to the extent of holding bandh on March 21 and raising slogans.

Executive officer S.K. Gulati said the decision of house would be sent to the government. He added that he would recommend that the government imposed tax as per the Punjab Municipal Act.

Chandigarh, March 24
Local motor rallyist Sunny Sidhu, who brought accolades by clinching overall championship in the Desert Storm Rally recently held at Rajasthan, is all set to participate in the internationally acclaimed Gascoyne Off-road Challenge to be held in Australia in October this year.

“Gascolyne motor rally attracts top class rallyists across the world, thus is a big challenge for every rallyist. We are preparing our team to participate in the event”, said Sidhu, who seemed quite confident to make a mark at the international event.

“I am quite confident of my driving skills as well as perfect coordination with my navigator Kamaldeep. So, it would not be surprise if we win in Australia. We will take along four vehicles (gypsies) there”, said Sidhu, who has also clinched top honours in the Desert Storm Rallies in 2004, 2005.

Besides this, he is eight times winner in SJOBA Thunderbolt Motor Sport Championship. In 2003, Sidhu showed his dominance in the sport by securing topmost position in the one of the toughest motor rallies of the country-Raid-de-Himalaya.

Apart from Sidhu, another local team consisting of H.S. Bawa and Yogesh finished first in non-modified category and fourth in overall championship.

Though the experienced rallyist is determined to be a part of the international rally, the enormous expenditure is little worrisome. “According to a rough estimate, we have to dish out around Rs 1.5 crore to take part in the rally.

To bear such a huge amount, we are looking forward to sponsors”, said Sidhu while maintaining that money is always a big issue in the sport.

“For participating in any rally, the participant has to spend over Rs 10 lakh whereas the prize money is very less in comparison. The rallyists are driven by passion”, said Sidhu, seeking government support for the sport.

“At least the government should recognise it as a sport”, summed up Sidhu.

Chandigarh, March 24
Maintaining their winning spree, the host Edmund Rice Cricket Academy (ERCA) beat APJ, Kharar, by 13 runs in a league match of the Under-12 Challenger Trophy Quadrangular Cricket Tournament being played at St John’s High School, Sector 26, here today.

Put in to bat first, ERCA muster meager 88 runs in the stipulated 20 overs. For APJ, Tushar picked up 3 for 17 while Amritveer and Taranpreet took two wickets each.

Chasing the target, APJ succumbed to the fine bowling of Pratul (3 for 10), Pranjay (3 for 15) and Chetan (2 for 21) and were all out for 75 runs in 18.2 overs.

Sahil showed some resistance with 18 runs.

In the second match between YPS, Mohali, and Sri Sri Cricket Academy, DC Model, the former got the better of later by 36 runs.

Riding high on unbeaten knock of 46 by Aaryan, YPS team put on a total of 126 runs in the allotted 20 overs.

In reply, Sri Sri team gave up on 90 runs in the allotted overs. Chirag was the highest scorer with an unbeaten knock of 27 runs, while Shivam chipped in with 17 runs.

Brief Score

ERCA: 88 for 7 in 20 overs (Akhil 30 n.o, Vaibhav 27, Tushar 3 for 17, Amritveer 2 for 12, Taranpreet 2 for 11).

APJ: 75 all out in 18.2 overs (Sahil 17, Pratul 3 for 10, Pranjay 3 for 15, Chetan 2 for 19).

YPS: 126 for 4 in 20 overs (Aaryan 45 n.o, Abhaas 19, Yuvraj 19, Rizul 1 for 14).

Sri Sri Cricket Academy: 90 for 9 in 20 overs (Chirag 27, Shizam 17, Abhimanyu 3 for 9).