Underscoring that no laxity would be taken to tackle illegal mining, Punjab Government on Monday issued strict orders for immediate registration of first information reports (FIRs) where such practices came to fore.
“Illegal mining is being tackled expeditiously in the State and strict instructions have been issued to register cases in this regard in case of any complaint,” said Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal, while talking to the mediapersons after Punjab Cabinet on Monday.
He said being Home Minister, he was personally keeping tabs on illegal mining, besides issuing strict directives not to spare anyone indulging in this practice.
“Zonal Inspector Generals (IGs) have been deputed to look into all such complaints. An investigation is also going on to probe the allegations of goonda tax,” said Badal.
Badal, answering a query regarding registration of criminal cases in illegal mining, said that though illegal mining was prevalent across the country, Punjab was the only State where maximum FIRs had been registered against
illegal miners.
Regarding the delay in notification of State’s new industrial policy, he clarified that it was on the anvil, and “due to drastic changes, as per the recommendations of industrialists, the policy has taken some time to take final shape”.