Ludhiana, Jan. 20 -- Residents and farmers of villages along the Satluj river in the district have raised the alarm over alleged large-scale illegal sand mining, warning that continued extraction is weakening river embankments and putting dozens of villages at risk of floods.

Addressing the media on Monday, village leaders said immediate administrative action was needed to prevent a potential disaster.

Former MP Amrik Singh Aliwal, former sarpanch Yadvinder Singh and other elected representatives alleged that heavy machinery was being used to extract sand far beyond permissible limits near villages such as Aliwal, Talwandi Nau Abad and Walipur Khurd. They claimed that digging was happening up to 15-25 feet, while regulations allow only ...