Annual Loss of ₹10,000 Crores: Survey of India to Investigate Illegal Mining Along India-Pakistan Border, Punjab Government to Bear Costs
Illegal mining along the India-Pakistan border, which borders Punjab, is causing the Punjab government an annual loss of approximately ₹10,000 crores. To investigate this illegal activity, the Survey of India will be taking action.
The Survey of India has agreed to carry out the investigation into illegal mining along the border, but has set the condition that the Punjab government will bear the costs involved. This information was presented during a hearing in the High Court on Wednesday.
Chandigarh resident Gurbir Singh had filed a petition in the High Court, alleging that illegal mining was rampant in Punjab. He claimed that the Punjab government is losing nearly ₹10,000 crores in revenue every year due to this activity. In addition to the financial losses, the mining is causing significant environmental damage and increasing the risk of natural disasters. The central government had informed the court that the BSF, the army, and the central government are also working to curb illegal mining and related illegal activities in the border region. The High Court had earlier instructed the Ministry of Defence to explore ways to permit legal mining close to the border.
During the proceedings, the Punjab government informed the court that illegal mining near the border had been stopped, and that mining activities are now only allowed with approval from the Ministry of Defence. However, they also pointed out that the Ministry has been delaying approval. The Indian Army had refused to conduct a survey of illegal mining near the border, stating that identifying illegal mining by matching revenue records is beyond the capacity of the Army’s survey team, as military resources are primarily used for operations, planning, and training. In response, the High Court directed the Survey of India to conduct the investigation into illegal mining.
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