‘STATE LOSING CRORES TO GRAVEL MAFIA’
that Punjab loses crores to the “bajri (gravel) mafia”, owners of stone crushers in the state have demanded a policy on the lines of Himachal Pradesh to charge the industry as per power consumption. The state charges Rs 7 per unit. A unit owner from Pathankot, requesting anonymity, said the mafia is now demanding Rs 7 lakh a month from them for two chits a day (two truckloads of stones).
“There are over 1,000 crushers in Punjab and most are closed. Policy notified in 2015 allowed landowners to dispose of excess minor mineral. It was stopped after Congress came to power. Supply now comes from neighbouring states, and mafia takes money for entry,” said Gurnam Singh of Hajipur Stone Crushers Union. Another owner, Harpreet Singh, said, “We have met minister Navjot Sidhu and state Congress chief Sunil Jakhar to seek a policy. It will end mafia rule and earn Rs 50 crore a month for the state.”
Both Sidhu and Jakhar had sought Himachal’s policy pattern at a press conference in Jalandhar recently. “If the money is not coming to state coffers, then where is it going?” Sidhu said. A note by him at a cabinet meet pegged the revenue from Himachal model at Rs 500 crore.
Jakhar too said stone crushing needs to be regulated. “During Akali regime, their henchmen would make money and not the state. We do not want to let loose inspector raj in state, but it makes sense to know how much stone is crushed and charge them directly.”