Chandigarh: In the latest development in the recently unearth multi-crore sand mining scam in Punjab, the state chief minister Amarinder Singh has here today ordered one man judicial commission to probe the allegations of impropriety against Irrigation and Power Minister Rana Gurjit Singh man thought to be behind the multi-crore sand mining auctions.
A firm of Rana Gurjit, had allegedly bagged contracts worth crores in the e-auction of 89 sand and gravel mining sites conducted on May 19 and 20, read a quote from a report published in The Tribune (25th May).
A cook name Amit Bahadur of Nepali origin working with the firm, successfully bid for one of the most expensive sand and gravel mines in the state. He outdid 32 bigwigs to bag a quarry at Saidpur Khurd village in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar (Nawanshahr) for a whopping Rs 26.51 crore.
Media reports indicate that the probe would be conducted by Justice (Retd) J S Narang and he would submit his report within one month.
Meanwhile, the minister offered to vacate the office, the chief minister has, however, asked Rana Gurjit to continue till the outcome of the judicial probe.
Taking action in the back drop of mounting opposition pressure and media uproar the chief minister announced his decision to set up a Judicial Commission after taking suo motu cognisance of media reports charging the minister with acquiring certain mines in the names of his company’s staff.
On the other hand Rana Gurjit Singh has categorically denied of having any stake in the sand mining business, or his company having anything to do with the allocation of the sand mining contracts.
The two-day sand auctions, in which these bids are alleged to have been secured, related to 50 mines and they have already generated a revenue of nearly Rs 300 crores, leading to the highest ever earnings from the mining sector for the state government, said the media reports.
The government spokesman further stated that another action of sand mines is due on 11th June, which further expected to fetch around Rs 300 crores as revenue to the state government. It’s worth mentioning that the state government’s revenue from the mine auction last year was merely Rs 40 crores, reports The Tribune.