FEROZEPUR: There are reports of sand mining being carried out at unauthorized sites in the Ferozepur district. According to official figures, 550 FIRs had been registered for illegal mining in the district in 2017 and despite that the activity goes on unabated in the area.The industries department, which also checks sand mining, has issued hundreds of notices to the contractors involved in the activity for not adhering to the set rules and has also imposed a fine of over Rs 10 crore on those flouting the norms. Sources said only Rs 50 lakh have been recovered from the violators due to their alleged collusion with the department officials.As per information gathered from the industries department, there are 35 approved quarries spread over the 117.295 hectares in the Ferozepur district. However, the sand mafia has reportedly been extracting minerals from illegal quarries which remain unaccounted for.Illegal mining remains unchecked even as it was a one of the main poll planks of Captain Amarinder Singh before the assembly elections in 2017. Even after the change of guard in Punjab , scores of trucks and trailers loaded with sand are found on most of the main roads in the district every night.TOI found poke-lane machine, JCBs and tractors digging sand from illegal quarries in Gatta Badshah village under Makhu police station in Ferozepur. Requesting anonymity, villagers said in contravention to the 10 am to 5 pm timings, mining of sand continued day and night without any break. They further alleged digging was also being done below the approved ground level.When contacted, Gurjant Singh Sidhu , general manager in the Ferozepur industries department said he was looking after four districts and a mining officer had been entrusted to check illegal sand mining "I am performing my duty as per the instructions of my senior officials. The department has so far seized several poke-lane machines, JCBs and tractors besides registering over 30 police cases for illegal sand mining," said Sukhmander Singh Brar , the mining officer.Ferozepur deputy commissioner (DC) Ramvir said he had zero tolerance for illegal mining. "We are contemplating fixing of responsibility on the officials, particularly the mining officer and the station house officer (SHO) concerned, in case of illegal mining and action will be taken against them as per law," he said.

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