Chandigarh, December 9: Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Thursday announced a cash award of Rs 25,000 if proof of illegal mining is brought to the notice of the authorities concerned.

He also asked deputy commissioners to keep a strict vigil on mining sites to check any illegal activity and ensure availability of sand at the rate of Rs 5.50 per cubic feet. Also Read | PM Narendra Modi Pays Homage to CDS General Bipin Rawat, His Wife Madhulika Rawat & Others Who Died in IAF Helicopter Crash.

He asked them to declare Rs 25,000 reward if a proof is provided in video or any other form about any violation of the norms in this regard, according to an official release. Also Read | SSC CGL Tier-I Final Answer Key 2020 Released, Candidates Can Download Answer Keys Online at ssc.nic.in.

Presiding over a meeting here, the chief minister directed the officials to ensure that sand from the mining sites is provided free of cost to any village panchayat that wants the same.

“No charges should be levied from the trolleys carrying sand and only trucks should be charged the rate of Rs 5.50 per cubic feet,” he asserted. Channi also emphasised on increasing the number of mining sites and restarting the sites which were earlier closed.

Notably, the Congress-led state government is repeatedly targeted by the Aam Aadmi Party over the issue of alleged illegal sand mining. The AAP had alleged that illegal sand mining was "found" in Channi's constituency Chamkaur Sahib, a charge denied by the chief minister.

AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal had on Tuesday claimed that an estimated Rs 20,000 crore of illegal sand mining was taking place in the northern state.

(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)