SAD chief Sukhbir Badal alleges illegal sand mining at Punjab's Mukerian

SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday alleged that illegal sand mining was being carried out at Mukerian in Punjab's Hoshiarpur district.

Badal made a surprise visit to Mukerian and while talking to reporters there, he alleged that there was a nexus between certain officials and Congress leaders behind the illegal mining.

“Shocking state of mining mafia. After Beas, visited Mukerian & saw first hand how mafia has extracted sand up to 200 feet. CM @capt_amarinder & minister @SarkariaTeam should tell Pbis (Punjabis) which law allows extraction of sand up to 200 feet? Officially the limit is 10 feet only,” Badal said in a tweet.

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“2 days back when we exposed illegal mining at Beas, Mining Secretary justified the same. I'm waiting how govt will justify illegal activity at Mukerian. We aren't afraid of cases. Cong govt can register 10 cases against me but I'll continue to safeguard interests of Punjabis,” said Badal in another tweet.

On June 30, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief had made similar charges when he made a visit to Beas river bank in Amritsar.

Though at that time, the state mining department had trashed Badal's accusations and asserted that the site visited by the SAD chief near Beas river was a legal one.

On July 1, the Amritsar Police had booked Badal and two other Akali leaders under various sections including 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the IPC and the Epidemic Diseases Act.