Multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) cases have shown a worrying increase in the state and their number has shown almost 100% rise in eight southern districts of Punjab in the past one year.

Contrary to the Punjab government’s claims of having effectively controlled illegal mining in the state, unauthorised mining continues unabated in Khijrabad village near here.

A three-member central team sent to Punjab to assess the extent of illegal mining in the state has reportedly submitted its report to the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

In Mohali, a special sanitation campaign will be carried out from August 1 to August 10. The city has been divided into five zones and 500 sweepers per day will perform their duty.

Illegal mining of soil continues unabated in Mohali district.

All SDMs of Mohali district have been directed to seize diesel generators sets which are causing air and noise pollution and are being operated without clearance from the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB).

During a recent survey carried out in different parts of Mohali, it was found that most of the generator sets being used in certain areas were creating air and noise pollution.

A long judicial stay on the sand mining has caused an increase in the cases of illegal sand mining and has also increased the rates of sand in the market. The police had registered many cases of illegal sand mining and seized loaded trucks and trolleys.

To check the illegal sand mining, the state government and later the High Court had imposed a ban on sand mining over an year ago. However, sometime ago, the High Court had removed the ban, but due to the lack of environmental clearance from the concerned departments, most of the mining sites were lying without auction. During this period, illegal sand mining was encouraged in the Ghaggar river and some other small rivers in this area. On the other hand, customers are bound to purchase sand at higher rates for construction works.

With the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) failing to keep a check on health institutes in Patiala, healthcare centres, nursing homes and hospitals have started dumping bio-medical waste in the

8 quarries fetch Rs 101 cr against reserve price of Rs 4.02 cr

High bidding may lead to higher sand, gravel rates. The first e-auction of sand mines, having environmental clearance in north India, today generated a lot of interest among mining contractors from across the region. The auction was held for eight quarries — three each in Jalandhar and Kapurthala and one each in Mohali and Ludhiana — spanning over 337 acres of land. Against the Punjab Government's reserve price of Rs 4.02 crore, the quarries fetched a record Rs 101.09 crore.