Full Breakdown
Illegal Mining in Punjab: Night Excavations, Unnumbered Trucks, and Ongoing Investigations
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Nighttime Excavation and Evasion Tactics
Along the banks of the Swan and Sutlej rivers, operators are alleged to conduct sand-and-gravel extraction after dark to avoid detection. Vehicles often lack registration plates, making it difficult for enforcement agencies to trace the loads. Residents say ownership of stone-crushing units is repeatedly altered on paper, with stamp papers purchased in villagers’ names every few weeks to mask the true operators.
Background & Context
Desilting of riverbeds was previously permitted at 85 sites across Punjab. On October 7, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) extended its ban on desilting until January after petitions from local gram panchayats argued that the flood-prevention pretext was being misused. Activists report that excavation continues unabated, with machines arriving shortly after midnight and leaving deep pits that scar the riverbanks.
On-the-Ground Reports
Activist Tikka Yashvir Chand of Bhallan village says village youths are paid INR500 each to alert mining teams of impending raids, enabling night operations. He has documented the activity with drones, noting fresh tyre tracks and “poclain” machine marks on the riverbed. Residents also report noise, air pollution, road damage, frequent accidents, and the collapse of bridges such as the Algran bridge linking Ropar with Nawanshahr.
Official Statements & Responses
Mines Minister Barinder Goyal asserted that the government does not permit illegal mining and that action is taken whenever violations are detected. He cited a recent night-time interception of a sand-loaded tipper lacking a number plate and referenced FIR No. 0283 registered on October 6, 2026. Goyal also emphasized that the suspension order dated May 22, 2026, for Trehan Stone Crusher remains in effect, yet the crusher allegedly continued operating with a generator.
The Mines and Geology Department reported a late-night seizure of an unnumbered tipper carrying approximately 400 cubic feet of gravel in Jaswan village, Pathankot district, and similar raids in Kapurthala and Sri Anandpur Sahib that resulted in multiple machines and vehicles being confiscated.
Criticism & Opposition
Activists allege that the scale of night mining suggests involvement or protection of influential individuals, though these claims have not been independently verified. They also contend that paperwork citing Himachal Pradesh as the source of sand is a deliberate misrepresentation, allowing operators to obscure the true extraction sites.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The state government maintains that no approved mining sites are operational, yet the CBI’s preliminary inquiry uncovered 26 active crushers and deep excavation pits. The High Court has highlighted the state’s failure to provide credible information on the source of raw material and expressed prima facie belief that authorities responsible for preventing large-scale mining have not discharged their duties.
What’s Next
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has tasked the CBI with submitting a sealed-cover report by December 7, 2026, and ordered a detailed drone survey and three-dimensional satellite imagery by October 9, 2026. Ongoing raids and case registrations indicate that enforcement actions will continue as the investigation progresses.