| Despite ban, illegal mining goes on around bridges in Samba | | |  Neeraj Badyal
Early Times Report
SAMBA, Jan 31: Illegal extraction of sand, stone and gravel near bridges in rivers in Samba district has been going on unchecked despite a ban on such activities. "The authorities had banned the excavation of minor minerals like sand, gravel and river bed material from rivers and nullahs in the periphery of bridges and other hydraulic structures, but the illegal extraction of minerals continues unabated near highway and railway bridges in Samba," said , Harsh Sharma a local.
The large-scale misuse of tractor-trailers has also increased illegal mining and quarrying.Though the authorities have restricted the use of tractors for agricultural purposes only, but a large number of tractors are engaged in illegal mining, quarrying, extraction of sandstones and transportation of quarried material from local streams and rivers to other parts of region, he said.
"As per the law applicable in the state, the restriction had applied on rivers and local nullahs within the distance of 1Km periphery of railway and highway bridges, but excavation is going on from near the bridge over the Basantar and Devak river that falls along the Jammu-Pathankot National Highway. The issue was brought to the notice of district administration many a times, but no action has been taken till date," said another local. Numerous tractors can be seen being used for digging stones and sand daily from the Basantar and Devak river at different points. Neither the Mining Department, nor the administration is bothered to the check the illegal mining, which is posing threat to the bridges and hydraulic structures, he said. According to Chief Agriculture Officer, Samba, Kulbhushan Samyal, there are over 990 tractors in Samba district which are registered for agricultural purposes, but the owners of some tractors have indulged in indiscriminate extraction of sand, stone and transportation of quarried material.
We do not have any special powers to keep check on such violations. Only Motor Vehicle Department and Traffic Police can restrict the misuse of tractors, he said. |
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