To tighten noose around crushers, mining mafia Punjab mining department seeks assistance from PSPCL
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in
Punjab mining department is collaborating with Punjab state power corporation limited (PSPCL) to keep check on state’s crusher industry.
To tighten noose around crushers, mining mafia Punjab mining department seeks assistance from PSPCL . Punjab mining department has requested the Punjab state power corporation limited (PSPCL) to send one superintending engineer (SE) and six AE/AEE rank power engineers on three year deputation basis. These power engineers will be deputed / posted with the mining department officers at Chandigarh, Ropar, Mohali, Gurdaspur, Pathankot and Hoshiarpur for three years. The deputation period of these officers can be extended further with mutual consent / agreement of Punjab Mining department and Punjab state power corporation limited.
As per sources around 450 crusher units are registered with the state government. Crusher units are in itself a big industry segment contributing good revenue into the state exchequer.
To check the revenue pilferage, actual consumption of power, to check raw material input and processed material output, royalty etc this collaboration between two technical departments will benefit the state government’s earning.
An officer on the condition of anonymity added “though the crushing units are not operative in the state at present, the state government is doing its planning to fill all the gaps of revenue pilferage. The government is doing the survey and has identified around 800-900 sites where sand, gravel material is available. As soon as the state government receives the environmental clearance, the unit will start operating. The government will keep an eye on them from the very first day. The government will also going to check the units randomly, about the raw material input and processed material output and is the power consumption matching with them or not. The crusher will have to file monthly returns of the material processed by them and the power engineers will check the power consumed by the crushing unit is matching with the return or not.”
In the past, the National Green Tribunal had directed the Punjab government to limit the number of stone crushers as per carrying capacity of source of raw material available. The carrying capacity addresses the question as to how many stone crushers can be permitted into any area without the risk of degrading the environment. On this the officer added that “a new policy for crushers has been approved by the Punjab Cabinet.”
November 17,2022
