On the one hand, the government claims that it has taken action against state-wide unlawful mining. From the ministers of the state government to the chief minister, the laurels of illegal mining have been garnered completely, while the rainy season has exposed the illegal mining. The railways would not have lost crores of rupees today as a result of the bridge being destroyed by the floods if the Punjab government had taken any action against the illegal miners in the state at the appropriate time.
The Railways had written a letter to the government of Punjab warning that the unscientific and illegal mining near the railway bridges along the crucially vital Punjab-Himachal border could cause damage to the bridges during the rainy season. However, the Punjab government did not take the Railways' concern seriously, and the outcome is now clear to everyone. The British-built bridge that connected Pathankot (Punjab) and Kangra Valley has been washed away by rain.
In a letter sent by the Ministry of Railways to the Chief Secretary of Punjab, it was written that Illegal mining has taken place in the Chakki river near Pathankot in such an unscientific manner that a pillar of rail bridge number 32 bowed down in the floods in this river on July 31. Three other pillars have also been damaged. The miners' illegal removal of sand from under and around these pillars is what led to this devastation.
The Ministry of Railways, in the letter, had also said that Rail Bridge No. 232 has also suffered damage from both ends. A technical report was also sent in it in which it was clearly written that if illegal mining is not stopped, then the road bridges on the river will also collapse.
In addition to the Railways, the Border Security Force has also reported on illegal mining to the Central Government and the Punjab Government. In this report, regarding illegal mining in the border districts of Gurdaspur and Pathankot, the BSF has said that mining work starts before sunrise in the morning and sometimes it continues throughout the night. This work involves hundreds of workers, none of whom the local police are aware of. The Punjab and Haryana High Court has also received the BSF's report.