📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Harvinder Chandigarh
Crime
Punjab High Court Orders Crackdown on Illegal Mining at 233 Sites
✍️ Amar Ujala · Punjab
🗓 30 Sep 2026, 11:31 PM
👁 19
The Punjab High Court has directed authorities to act within four weeks to stop illegal mining activities identified at 233 locations across the state, as per a July 3, 2026 Survey of India report.
The Punjab High Court delivered a stern directive today, ordering a comprehensive crackdown on illegal mining operations across the state. The court’s ruling was prompted by a July 3, 2026 report from the Survey of India, which identified 233 sites where unauthorized mining is taking place.
In its order, the court instructed state agencies to take decisive action within a four‑week timeframe. The directive aims to halt ongoing illegal extraction, secure the affected areas, and ensure compliance with environmental and mining regulations.
Officials are expected to mobilise law‑enforcement and regulatory bodies to inspect the listed sites, remove illegal equipment, and initiate legal proceedings against offenders. The court also emphasized the need for transparent monitoring to prevent future violations.
The decision underscores the judiciary’s commitment to safeguarding natural resources and upholding the rule of law in Punjab’s mining sector.
In its order, the court instructed state agencies to take decisive action within a four‑week timeframe. The directive aims to halt ongoing illegal extraction, secure the affected areas, and ensure compliance with environmental and mining regulations.
Officials are expected to mobilise law‑enforcement and regulatory bodies to inspect the listed sites, remove illegal equipment, and initiate legal proceedings against offenders. The court also emphasized the need for transparent monitoring to prevent future violations.
The decision underscores the judiciary’s commitment to safeguarding natural resources and upholding the rule of law in Punjab’s mining sector.