Two more villages on Mining Dept’s radar

Tribune News Service

Mohali, July 23

Tightening its noose around illegal mining in the district, the Mining Department is all set to impose fine on landowners of two more villages here.

Mining officials found 10 to 15-foot-deep pits at several places in Dharamgarh and Koremajra villages due to illegal mining. The Department has already imposed a fine of Rs 52 crore on 193 landowners of three villages — Mianpur, Abhipur and Kubbaheri — in Majri block of Kharar area.

Today, a team of officials of the Mining and Revenue Departments visited Dharamgarh and Koremajra and assessed the damage due to illegal mining there.

A senior administrative official said they were receiving several complaints of illegal mining. Some residents of Dharamgarh village had recently approached the local police and filed a complaint in this connection, the official said.

Gurpreet Pal Singh Sandhu, mining officer, Mohali, said the amount of fine on the offenders of illegal mining in both villages would be calculated soon.