MOGA – A major crackdown has been initiated in Moga’s Dharamkot subdivision after the state government’s flood relief initiative, “jihda khet ussdi reat” (His field, his sand), was found to be extensively misused for illegal commercial sand mining operations.
Moga Police have registered multiple cases and booked at least eight individuals after the Mining Department detected unauthorized sand extraction occurring under the guise of land restoration.
The Loophole and Misuse: Following severe flooding two months ago, which deposited massive quantities of sand and silt along the Satluj River, the Punjab government granted flood-hit landowners a special relaxation: the right to lift and sell the accumulated material without requiring a permit or No-Objection Certificate (NOC) until December 31, 2025. The district administration had notified 29 such villages in the Dharamkot area.
However, officials are now finding that violators are exploiting this exemption by extracting sand from non-affected land and even notified commercial mining sites.
DC Issues Strict Warning: Moga Deputy Commissioner, Sagar Setia, emphasized that the exemption is strictly for the rehabilitation of farmlands and is “not for commercial mining.” He warned that any extraction that damages the original field surface or creates trenches will be strictly treated as illegal mining. “Any violation of these directions will be treated as an illegal activity,” DC Setia clarified.
Enforcement Actions: The district Mining Department and Moga Police have begun enforcement. In one inspection near the Satluj River on October 26, officials caught four individuals illegally extracting sand from a notified commercial mining site. In two other separate cases, FIRs were registered against an additional four people on Sunday following complaints filed by the Junior Engineer-cum-Mining Inspector in Chak Jindra and Chak Taarewala villages.
Despite the misuse, the scheme’s introduction has had a visible effect on the market, with reports indicating a steep 30-35 per cent fall in sand prices across the region, highlighting the massive demand that fuels illegal operations. DC Setia has ordered Sub-Divisional Magistrates and the District Mining Officer to intensify monitoring to prevent the relief scheme from being further exploited by the mining mafia.