The CM was replying during Zero Hour to an issue raised by MLA Ranjit Singh Rana.
File Photo
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday told the Assembly that illegal mining operations flourishing under the shadow of certain public representatives have now come under police scrutiny.
He asserted that no matter how powerful or influential the people involved may be, the state government will ensure the toughest action against them.
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The CM was replying during Zero Hour to an issue raised by MLA Ranjit Singh Rana.
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He informed the House that acting on a secret tip-off, the police raided a stone crusher in Sujanpur, which, although officially closed since July last year, was still operating illegally.
The unit, he said, was being run by people who considered themselves to have political clout.
During the raid, the police seized a Poclain excavator, two JCBs, four tippers, a mixer machine, around 50 tippers of freshly mined boulders, and other equipment.
The Chief Minister revealed that the crusher belonged to Praveen Sharma, who had handed it over to his nephew Umesh Sharma through a power of attorney on November 4 last year.
He claimed that Praveen Sharma is the uncle of Hamirpur MLA Ashish Sharma.
The police are currently investigating Mahavir Stone Crusher, the company linked to this operation.
He further stated that Praveen Sharma, Umesh Sharma, and their associates Satish Sharma and Sanjay Kumar have all applied for anticipatory bail in court to avoid arrest.
The investigation, he said, is ongoing and directed at holding every guilty person accountable. The Chief Minister also admitted the possibility of collusion by some officials and employees in facilitating such illegal activities, terming it “unfortunate.”
Sukhu stressed that no one connected with illegal mining would be spared and that the probe by police and administration is being conducted impartially.
“The strictest provisions of law will be invoked, and protecting the state’s natural resources along with the rights of its people is our top priority,” he said.
On the other hand, MLA Ashish Sharma accused the police of acting out of political vendetta.
He argued that the stone crusher mentioned by the Chief Minister had already been shut down for over a year and a half, and claimed that he was being targeted because he had voted against the Congress candidate during the Rajya Sabha elections.
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