ROPAR (Punjab): Former Punjab Chief Minister and Congress MP Charanjit Singh Channi visited a mining site in Ropar district late Thursday night in a tipper truck, alleging that illegal sand mining was continuing unabated in the state. He was accompanied by Congress leader Barinder Singh Dhillon and other party workers.
Channi claimed that mining operations were underway around 1 am, with Poklane machines excavating sand and long queues of tipper trucks waiting to be loaded. He alleged that those present at the site panicked when they saw him, and some drivers fled, leaving machinery and equipment behind. He said he stopped the drivers of several machines and tipper trucks to gather information about the operations.
According to Channi, he called the Ropar Deputy Commissioner, informed him about the alleged illegal mining, and requested that officials be dispatched to the site. However, he claimed that no official arrived for a considerable period.
Alleging large-scale irregularities, Channi said hundreds of tipper trucks carrying sand leave the site every day. He claimed the revenue from the operations did not reach the state exchequer but instead benefited Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders and the Punjab Chief Minister. Questioning the state government's claim of generating ₹20,000 crore annually from mining, he demanded an explanation from the AAP government on where the money went if it wasn't deposited in the government treasury.
Channi further alleged that the state government patronised illegal mining and that officials were complicit. Accusing authorities of turning a blind eye, he said the sand trade, which he described as Punjab's “white gold”, continued under cover of darkness while officials remained inactive.
He also accused the AAP of using proceeds from illegal mining to fund its election campaigns in other states, alleging that the practice was causing significant financial losses to Punjab.
Channi made the allegations during his late-night visit to the mining site.
(With inputs from ANI)