From Khizrabad near Mohali to Baihara in Sutlej basin, illegal mining activities continue in Punjab.
Sand mining is not supposed to happen in eastern Punjab's Khizrabad. It is an area not sanctioned for any kind of mining by the government. More so at the time (monsoon) NDTV visited the area, mining is not permitted at all in any area in Punjab.
But barely an hour from Mohali -- illegal mining is rampant. Last week, an NDTV team saw at least three different groups mining in the area. This was land mining. The advent of strangers alerted the workers, who either ran into the bushes, or picked up their phones to dial their employers.
Is Baihara, one hour by road from Khizrabad, wet tyres of trucks emerged one after the other from near the Sutlej revealing river bed mining.
River bed mining takes place under the cover of dark. The sound of machines raking the ground can be heard much before the machines can be seen.
For sand mining, the government gets a royalty of Rs 960 a truck, which carries 800 cubic foot of sand or stone. For the customer, the cost comes up to Rs 12,000.
But environmental limitations on mining mean the legal supply cannot meet the demand.
For illegally mined sand or stone, a truck costs the consumer around Rs 15,000. Locals say it involves bribing the authorities. Known locally as Goonda tax, paid at exit points to local toughs, it is usually to the tune of Rs 2,400 a truck.
The local authorities claim to be unaware of the racket. 'No mining is allowed in Khizrabad and if you say you've seen it we will take action' said Chiman Lal Garg, the local mining officer.
Activists like Lakhvir Singh and Bachiter Singh say the money involved runs into crores and it involves an efficient network.
Three years ago, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had ordered a Special Investigation Team to investigate illegal mining in Punjab. Last year, the court observed, "The officers of the state of Punjab are either complicit or in connivance with persons responsible for illegal mining." The SIT report submitted so far has not been revealed to the petitioner.
Activists and locals allege this organised corruption involves the highest levels in the government. "The Badals can give Rs 15 crore to each of the 117 MLAs from the mining money accumulated over the past 5 years," said one activist Bachiter Singh.
Madan Mohan Mittal, Punjab's cabinet minister for mining, said he was not aware of illegal mining in Khizrabad. But he vehemently denied the allegation against the ruling family. "Parkash Singh Badal can never do this. Have you seen the status of that family? Will they stoop so low to get into illegal mining?"
The activists claim the high stakes make it dangerous for whistleblowers. Lakhvir Singh said he had been attacked by 8 men in November, 2012. The attack had left him in a wheel-chair for nine-months. Later, he was given a 24x7 police guard by the court as he is currently involved in several court cases regarding illegal mining.