Chandigarh: Opposition Aam Aadmi Party today met the speaker of Punjab Vidhan Sabha and raised the issue of alleged illegal mining in the state.  

The delegation led by the leader of opposition and AAP MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira demanded Speaker Rana K P Singh to set up an all party Vidhan Sabha committee to look into the issue.  

Khaira said the issue of illegal mining has dominated the political spectrum of the state for the past many years and was a major issue during the last Assembly polls.  

The Congress party in its election manifesto had promised to put an end to large scale illegal mining allegedly undertaken by the mafia-politician nexus during the ten years of SAD-BJP rule, he said.  

Khaira alleged that unfortunately, illegal mining still continued in the state. Quoting media reports, he said illegal mining was taking place at Khizrabad near Mullanpur, Samrala, Ropar, Rahon, Faridkot, Ferozpor, Harike, Tarn Taran, Shahkot, Pathankot etc.  

Khaira said AAP demanded setting up of an all party Vidhan Sabha committee of MLA's to visit all such sites where alleged illegal mining was taking place.  

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh yesterday had ordered the setting up of special multi-department joint teams in all the districts of the state to crack down on illegal mining and tax evasion by miners. 

The members of the delegation were AAP co-president (Punjab unit) Aman Arora, deputy leader of opposition Sarabjeet Kaur Manuke, MLAs Kanwar Sandhu, Jagdev Singh Kamalu, Rupinder Kaur Ruby, Master Baldev Singh, Harpal Singh Cheema, Jagtar Singh Hissowal, Kulwant Singh Pandori and Jai Kishan Rodi. PTI