Theft of sand continues in Gurdaspur; thieves put big pits in canal
Rohit Gupta
Gurdaspur February 25, 2024:
Huge quantity of sand is being stolen by people in the area from Sahowal to Sathyali Bridge and Babehali from Upper Bari Doab Canal of Ravi River. The surprising thing is that this work is being done in broad daylight but the canal department has not been able to do anything except to complain to the police and Mining department. Officials of the canal department do not believe that any tractor-trolley can be entered into the canal.
Officials also say that this sand is stolen by people in ignorance, while it is of no use because it contains 70 percent soil, but the question is that if it was so, why would the contractors fill the contract to extract sand from the canal?
On visiting the area, it has come to light that a huge amount of sand has been stolen from the canal from Sahowal to Tibri Bridge and at many places in the canal, four to five feet deep pits have been dug by the sand stealers.
On the spot, people were seen taking out sand through baskets by forming groups of four to six people at three places, while at one place sand was being taken out by two men, a woman and a child in sacks. Marks of tyres of tractors and trolleys were also seen at two places and places were also made to enter tractor trolley in the canal nearby.
When the SDO of the canal department Sanjeev Sharma was questioned in this regard, he said that tractor trolleys cannot be entered in the canal while those who are stealing sand from the canal through sacks and baskets are doing so in ignorance because this sand of canal is not clean and contains about 70 percent of soil. Therefore, this sand cannot be used in construction works. Along with this, he said that the department has complained about it many times to the police and the mining department, further action should be taken by them.
About the deep and big pits digged in the canal by sand stealers, he said that water is being released back into canal soon and the pits will fill themselves after the water comes.