SAS Nagar, July 28, 2026:- Punjab Mines and Geology, Department authorities have intensified their crackdown on illegal mining, detecting six unauthorized excavation sites across the district during a month-long enforcement drive in July 2026. Executive Engineer cum District Mining Officer, Gurtej singh Garcha said field inspections carried out by SDO Pardeep Kumar and Junior Engineer-cum-Mining Inspectors revealed large-scale excavation at locations where no mining permits or departmental approvals had been issued.
According to the Executive Engineer Garcha, the identified sites are located in Kheri Jattan, Mukandpur, Haibatpur, Bijanpur, an additional site in the Dera Bassi area, and Rampur Sainian. The estimated volume of illegally excavated material at these locations exceeds 12.79 lakh cubic feet, with the largest excavation measuring approximately 6.55 lakh cubic feet. The report records the GPS coordinates of each site, indicating that the inspections were supported by field-based verification.
The department has clarified that no mining permission or permit for extraction of minor minerals or earth had been issued for any of the identified locations. To establish ownership of the land and confirm the relevant khasra numbers, the Revenue Department has been requested to carry out demarcation. Officials stated that further legal and administrative action will be initiated after the demarcation report is received.
Alongside field inspections, the department has also initiated criminal proceedings under Sections 4(1) and 21(1) of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957. The report details several FIRs registered during July. One case at Dera Bassi relates to alleged obstruction of government officials during an anti-illegal mining operation, while another FIR at Handesra concerns the alleged unauthorized excavation of nearly 40.50 lakh cubic feet of earth from the Tangri river area. Separate cases have also been registered in connection with alleged illegal mining activities at Bijanpur, Pir Muchhalla and Ghadoli.
He further said that, during one inspection at Bijanpur, officials detected ongoing illegal excavation involving a JCB machine. However, the operator reportedly fled the spot with the machinery before it could be seized, leading to registration of a case against the unidentified accused. In another instance, police registered a case over alleged illegal extraction of gravel from the Ghaggar river near Pir Muchhalla.
The latest enforcement action reflects the district administration’s continued focus on curbing unauthorized mining through systematic field inspections, legal proceedings and inter-departmental coordination. Authorities indicated that the investigation will continue, with additional action to follow based on the outcome of revenue demarcation and ongoing police inquiries.