Punjab: 3 Poclain machines seized near Swan River
Punjab: In a midnight raid, officials seized three Poclain machines used in illegal mining along the Swan River. Sources said a team led by SDM Nangal Sachin Pathak and DSP (D) Jatinder Singh Chauhan conducted the raid along the Swan River on Saturday night. Officials conducted the raid in private vehicles to avoid alerting the mining mafia and their agents on the riverbanks. An officer involved in the raid said, “Previously, when we conducted raids in government vehicles, illegal miners would become alert and flee the scene. This time, we conducted the raid in private vehicles without any flashers. We were able to seize three Poclain machines used in illegal mining.” The seized machines were engaged in illegal mining near a temporary bridge over the Swan River in Algran village. Sources said the illegally mined material was being transported to nearby stone crushers. The SDM said an FIR has been registered under the Mines and Minerals Act against the owners of the Poclain machines seized during the raid. The Tribune reported that residents of Anandpur Sahib and Nangal were complaining of rampant illegal mining in the Swan and Sutlej rivers following the monsoon floods. Residents of Algran and Bhalan filed complaints with the district administration, stating that illegal mining had resumed in full swing in the riverbeds under the cover of darkness.
According to villagers, tippers loaded with illegally mined sand and gravel ply at night, damaging temporary paths built by the government to help flood-affected residents safely cross the rivers. This situation has frustrated locals, as the mining activity is destroying the already fragile infrastructure built to restore connectivity after the floods. Tikka Yashvir Chand, president of the Ilaka Sangharsh Samiti, a local organization formed to fight illegal mining, alleged that “illegal mining is taking place every night in the Swan and Sutlej rivers. Tipper trucks loaded with stones and sand pass through temporary paths. The damage is so severe that even two-wheelers cannot pass, forcing villagers to walk through muddy paths.” He further stated that the government has not approved any legal mining sites in Algran and Bhalan villages. Chand said, “In the absence of any official permission, the mining mafia continues its operations with impunity. Many stone-crushing machines are operating illegally and extracting material directly from the river bed.” Residents of the affected villages expressed concern that such uncontrolled mining not only damages public infrastructure but also poses a serious threat to the environment. Local organizations and activists have urged the district administration to take strict action against illegal mining activities and confiscate the machines used in the process.
