CHANDIGARH: The issue of extortion of daily Gunda Tax to the tunes of lakhs of Rupees would be raised in the next session of the Punjab assembly.

Stating the above, leader of opposition Sunil Jakhar in a release charged that sand scam by the mafia allegedly patronised by SAD-BJP government had left the Reddy brothers of Karnataka  far behind many times.

Despite of intervention and instructions of Punjab and Haryana High Court, Punjab government had failed to streamline the sand mining under the pressure of sand mafia, Jakhar alleged.

More than a year had passed when High Court ordered Punjab Government to clear the 241 sand mines in less than five hectares but nothing was done, blamed Jakhar.

A deliberate sand scarcity had been invented to loot the common man, at the behest of state government, said Jakhar.

It’s an open secret that sand was being sold at manifold rates than prescribed by the State government while in the name of formality, poor farmers or small fish of sand mafia were booked and none dare to grab the real kingpins, charged he.

Steep rise in sand prices had adversely hit the daily wagers, mason besides other directly and indirectly related to the construction business.

State government should immediately swing into action and pull the strings of sand mafia in the wider interest of general public, demanded Jakhar.