Sand, gravel to be delivered at doorstep at nominal charges
The sand and gravel in Punjab are all set to go the pizza way. For, the Punjab Government has come out with the policy for delivery of sand and gravel at consumers’ doorstep at nominal charges.
Under fire for spiralling prices and amidst allegations of running “sand mafia”, the Punjab Government has decided to excavate and sell minor minerals through State-owned departments by eliminating the role of private mining contractors in a bid to check rising prices.
The decision to make amendments to the existing rules to make sand mining more transparent was taken by the State Cabinet in its meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.
For the purpose, the State Government has decided to amend the Punjab Minor Mineral Rules, 2013, allowing the State industries department to allot 37 quarries to the Punjab State Industrial Export Corporation (PSIEC) at a fixed rate of royalty to supply sand and gravel to consumers at cheaper rates.
As per the new rules, the PSIEC will ensure supply of sand and gravel at pithead level on a fair price whereas, the Punjab Mandi Board will supply the minerals to the consumers at their doorsteps or at market committee yards by charging transport rates fixed by the transport department on kilometre-basis.
As per the new rules, the consumer will have the option of booking sand and gravel at market committee level as well.
“The amendment in minor mining rules will certainly benefit people as the role of private contractors will be eliminated and the State Government through its own departments will sell sand and gravel…With this decision, the prices of sand and gravel will come down by 50 per cent,” said the State’s Industries Minister Madan Mohan Mittal.
The State Government, at present, was auctioning the quarries or mines to private people who were blamed for selling sand and gravel at “very higher” prices, drawing criticism from several quarters.
The decision came a day after the Congress party accused the SAD-BJP ruling combine of being a mere puppet in the hands of sand mafia and demanded a special Punjab Assembly session to discuss the same issue.
The Cabinet has also decided to bifurcate the post of Director Industries and Mining. “A separate officer of the requisite seniority would be posted as Director Mining, whose sole responsibility would be to look after the mining of minor minerals in the state and supply thereof,” said the Government spokesperson. The Cabinet also authorised the Industries and Agriculture Ministers to remove any difficulty coming in the way of implementing this policy.
Just about two months ago, the Punjab Government had come up with a comprehensive plan to tighten screw on the offenders, and the Industries Minister Mittal issued strict instructions to all district officers and other officers of the department to check illegal mining in the State.
Mittal had asked for a detailed report of illegal mining from each district every month, besides a detailed report regarding illegal mining FIRs, unauthorised gravel crusher sealed and other irregularities to the head office on monthly basis.
Hanging fire since long, the new rules are expected to pave way for easy availability of sand and gravel that too at nominal rates — the absence of which emerged to be a major poll issue during the 2014 general elections in the State. Post elections, the BJP had blamed its alliance partner, the SAD, for sand problem in the State.
SAD-BJP led State Government had been blamed for promoting a sand mafia which was carrying out sand mining and charging prices at will. This had led to escalation of sand prices in the past two years.