Illegal mining of soil continues unabated in Mohali district. The fact came to light during a visit by Chandigarh Tribune team to Roorkan village, located alongside a 200-foot under-construction road leading to the new airport. The team found an earth-moving machine in operation in broad daylight. The machine was filling tippers with soil at the site. Showing an 8-foot-deep pit near the existing mining site, a resident of the village said on condition of anonymity that the pit had been created due to illegal mining by some villagers. “There are many more such deep pits around the area which are a result of illegal mining. As some pits have come up near the approach road to the village, these become dangerous during the monsoon,” said the resident. He said the illegal mining had been continuing for quite some time. Mohali Deputy Commissioner Tajinder Pal Singh Sidhu said he would send staff to the site to take stock of the situation. “I have to ascertain whether they (persons involved in mining) have permission from the Mining Department or not. However, if the pits are so deep, it appears that illegal activity is under way there,” said the Deputy Commissioner.