Chandigarh | March 20, 2015: The activities of the powerful sand mafia rocked the Vidhan Sabha today with the Opposition demanding constitution of a House committee to probe the illegal activity. Turning defensive, the SAD-BJP government shifted the blame to the former UPA regime for the scarcity and high prices of sand and gravel.

Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said more than 3,000 FIRs had been lodged against those behind illegal mining. He sought to put the ball back in the court of the Opposition by alleging that the hike in the prices of sand and gravel and their scarcity was created due to “Bibi Tax” (referring to former Union Minister for Environment Jayanti Natrajan).

“Your government (UPA) had allowed mining of sand at only 30-40 places. This had led to scarcity. With the change in government at the Centre, about 300 mines have become operational,” said Sukhbir, responding to a question by Congress Legislature Party Leader Sunil Jakhar.

Jakhar virtually created a flutter in the House when he stood up and alleged that illegal mining was going on in various parts of Punjab, including at Duluke village in Sukhbir’s Jalalabad constituency. He also flaunted “goonda tax” slip allegedly issued by the sand mafia operating in the area.

“The sand mafia is operating freely in the state and we have got tired raising this most important issue time and again since 2012. A special investigation team (SIT) was formed to investigate the illegal activity. Where is the SIT report,” he questioned.

Education Minister Daljit Singh Cheema intervened at this point, saying discussion on the Budget was more important.

Sukhbir said, “Jakhar ‘sahib’, the SIT is reporting directly to the Punjab and Haryana High Court. On our part, we have seized a large number of tippers. I have also directed the intelligence officials to report about the illegal activity, if any.”

Jakhar said the government should form a Vidhan Sabha committee comprising some MLAs, including BJP’s Manoranjan Kalia and Madan Mohan Mittal, to investigate illegal mining in the state. “I am even ready to pay my enhanced salary towards the expenses of the proposed committee’s tour to different parts of the state,” he said.

Talking to the media outside the House, Jakhar and other Congress leaders, including Sukhjinder Randhawa, Ashwani Sekhri and Parminder Singh Pinki, alleged that the SAD-BJP combine was “running away” from discussion on every issue. “The Speaker has been trying to suppress our voice. The Budget is nothing but a plain statement of accounts. They have even violated the sanctity of the Budget by making wrong statements on some developmental projects and some central grants, which were withdrawn by the Centre. They will increase the loan component and have tried to inflate the revenue, besides downplaying the deficit,” said Jakhar.

(Source: http://www.tribuneindia.com/)