Illegal mining: Round-the-clock surveillance, spot seizures and criminal prosecution in Panchkula

Panchkula, Sep 21 (UNI) In a blistering crackdown on the illegal mining mafia, the Panchkula district administration has already seized 154 vehicles, collected over Rs 82 lakh in penalties and registered 17 FIRs in just six months. Deputy Commissioner Satpal Sharma on Monday ordered a "zero-tolerance" offensive to stamp out the racket completely. Chairing a meeting of the District-Level Task Force Committee at the Mini Secretariat, Sharma directed officials to seize vehicles on the spot, slap criminal cases without warning, and mount round-the-clock surveillance at every known hotspot. Sharma made it clear that illegal mining would not be treated as…