Mining rights of contractor suspended in Ropar, Mohali

Ropar, April 16

The Punjab Mining Department has suspended the contracts of mining in block No. 1 of Ropar district and block No. 7 of Mohali, Patiala and Fatehgarh Sahib districts.

The authorities said the contracts were suspended because the contractor failed to deposit the required fee. Contractor Rakesh Chaudhary has the mining lease rights in block No. 1 and 7 till March 18 and January 31 next year, respectively. The prices of sand shot up from Rs. 25 per cubic foot to Rs. 31.50 per foot as there was a substantial check on illegal mining after the AAP government took over reins.

According to Ropar Mining Department XEN, Sartaj Singh Sandhu, Chaudhary had to deposit Rs. 15 crore for continuation of his lease rights.

The Mohali Mining Department XEN had stated in the show-cause notice to the contractor on April 5 that he was required to pay Rs. 93,63,233 for the period till November 9 last year, Rs. 1,97,13,699 for the period from November 10 to January 31, 2022. He, however, had deposited only Rs. 10 lakh till the date of the suspension of contract on February 22.

Chaudhary said he would move against the department. Mining Minister Harjot Singh Bains claimed that there was no shortage of sand and gravel in the state. —