Mohali: The Punjab mines and geology department has detected over 12.79 lakh cubic feet of suspected illegally excavated material at six sites in Mohali during a month-long crackdown against illegal mining.Officials said the unauthorised excavation may have caused substantial loss to the govt exchequer. The revenue department has been asked to demarcate the sites and identify landowners before recovery proceedings and further legal action are initiated.Executive engineer-cum-district mining officer Gurtej Singh Garcha said inspection teams led by SDO Pradeep Kumar and mining inspectors identified six illegal excavation sites at Kheri Jattan, Mukandpur, Haibatpur, Bijanpur, Rampur Sainian and Derabassi, where no mining permits had been issued.According to departmental estimates, the excavated material exceeds 12.79 lakh cubic feet, with the largest site accounting for nearly 6.55 lakh cubic feet. GPS coordinates of all locations were recorded as evidence.The department said no permission had been granted for extraction of minor minerals or earth at any of the sites. Revenue authorities have been asked to verify ownership and khasra numbers concerned, following which recovery and other legal proceedings will begin.Criminal proceedings under Sections 4(1) and 21(1) of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, have also been initiated. Multiple FIRs related to illegal mining were registered across the district during July.One FIR in Derabassi pertains to alleged obstruction of officials during an anti-mining operation. Another at Handesra involves the alleged unauthorised excavation of nearly 40.50 lakh cubic feet of earth from the Tangri river area. Separate FIRs have also been lodged over alleged illegal mining at Bijanpur, Pir Muchhalla and Ghadoli.Officials said a JCB machine was found engaged in illegal excavation at Bijanpur, but the operator allegedly fled with the machine before it could be seized, leading to a case against unidentified persons.Police have also registered a case over the alleged illegal extraction of gravel from the Ghaggar river near Pir Muchhalla.Officials said investigations are ongoing and further action will follow after revenue demarcation and completion of police inquiries.
