Chandigarh, Mar 25 (PTI) Punjab Mines and Geology Minister Harjot Singh Bains on Friday asked deputy commissioners and district police chiefs to ensure that illegal mining does not take place in the state, according to an official release.

"As the Punjab government is against illegal mining, it has come to my notice that illegal mining is going on in many districts of the state.

Also Read | Tamil Nadu Govt Issues Red Alert in Coastal Areas After Sri Lankan Refugee Influx.

"Therefore, you are directed to get the information from the mining officer of your district and demarcate the allotted quarries by putting up flags so that it may be clear that mining is to be done from these sites only," Bains said in a letter to the deputy commissioners and senior superintendents of police.

Deputy commissioners have been asked to flag the allotted quarries in each district so that illegal mining can be stopped immediately, he said.

Also Read | Karnataka Govt to Celebrate Jagadguru Renukacharya Jayanthi on March 16 Every Year.

"But even then, if a case of illegal mining comes to light, it will be the sole responsibility of the SSP concerned. All the deputy commissioners and SSPs were asked for the strict compliance of the instructions," the minister said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)