The Punjab government has ordered the closure of all crushers in Kheda Kalmot, Ropar district, in a major development.
On Thursday, mining minister Harjot Bains met with mining department officials and made a decision to this effect. The crushers have been shut down because they failed to pay their taxes to the government.
Harjot Bains has stated that he will not tolerate corruption in the department and that he is working to ensure that sand and gravel are available at reduced prices.
A sand contractor from Jammu was awarded the contract for this quarry. According to sources, he began extracting gravel from the hillocks in addition to sand and gravel from the quarry. As a result, the base of the hills has been hacked away at, posing a threat to the ecology of the area.