The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday postponed the hearing on a petition alleging illegal mining near the strategic Agampur bridge over the Sutlej and Swan rivers in Sri Anandpur Sahib until Wednesday. This came after the Punjab government denied any unauthorized extraction and maintained that only desilting for flood mitigation was being carried out.
State Submits Detailed Status Report
The state submitted a comprehensive status report through an affidavit filed by Ropar Deputy Commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal, rejecting allegations of widespread commercial mining. It asserted that the riverbed works were aimed at safeguarding public infrastructure ahead of the monsoon season.
Joint Inspection Finds No Illegal Mining
According to the affidavit, a joint inspection conducted on May 31 by the Sri Anandpur Sahib Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) and executive mining engineers found no evidence of illegal mining under the Agampur bridge. The state clarified that photographs submitted by the petitioner actually depicted authorized pier-protection and river-training works being executed by a Public Works Department (Buildings and Roads) contractor under a valid work order issued in November 2025.
Desilting Restrictions and Compliance
The government stated that desilting has been completely prohibited within 300 meters downstream of the bridge to protect its structural integrity. Excavation upstream was restricted to a length of 30 to 50 meters and a depth of five meters below the top of the well cap. It further maintained that the dredging works were non-commercial, carried out by identified landowners at their own cost, and legally permitted only until June 30 to restore the riverbed's carrying capacity after the devastating floods of 2025.
Government Seeks Setting Aside of Interim Order
The Punjab government has also sought the setting aside of the High Court's interim order of June 8, which temporarily halted activities at the site. The petition was filed by Prem Dutt Sharma, a 70-year-old resident of Takhatgarh village in Ropar district, who alleged that the Sutlej-Swan confluence was being damaged under the guise of administrative clean-up. He claimed the operations led to the destruction of the Kawanwali Beli wetland, unlawful diversion of the Swan River, and significant disruption of local hydrology.
Petitioner's Allegations and Safety Concerns
Sharma further alleged that heavy machinery and movement of material through temporary routes and village roads posed safety risks and adversely affected residents. Petitioner's counsel Satinder Kaur said the issue of riverbed mining in Punjab was also under examination by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which had earlier criticized unregulated extraction in the state. She noted that the NGT, in an order dated May 27, ruled that further desilting could proceed only after full compliance with the National Framework for Sediment Management issued by the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti in October 2022.
