| Illegal mining continues in Rajouri, G&M Dept keeps mum | | Hoarders making hay as public suffers | |  Ankit Kessar
Early Times Report
Nowshera, Jan 20: Despite complete ban on mineral mining, the illegal mining of sand, stones continues across Rajouri district under the nose of concerned Geology and Mining Department raising question mark on its working.
Sources told Early Times that the illegal mining of mineral has been going on unabated in various parts of the district including Kalakote, Lamberi, Sunderbani, Nowshera etc. where JCBs can be seen excavating sand, stones etc from the river bed and the Geology and Mining Department, which is the enforcement agency has been doing nothing to curb this menace.
“Tractors, tippers, dumpers are openly carrying mineral from river bed in various tehsils while police and G&M department remain silent over this malpractice and take no action allegedly on monetary benefits,” they said.
They further said that due to illegal mining, huge ditches have developed in the river bed, which have become virtually death traps for livestock, and human being, when these get filled with water during rains livestock. Meanwhile, mal-practice of hoardering of these mineral minors has been going on unabated in the district by the businessmen, who later sell them on exorbitant rate to the customers.
District Officer Geology and Mining Rajouri Rajeshwar Singh, informed Early Times that there was acute shortage of staff for keeping supervision on this menace but they are taking time to time action against violators by imposing fine on them and have realized Rs 7 lakhs in current year. “It is very difficult to keep control over this menace as there are 14 tehsils are under me and there is huge dearth of staff,” said officer while showing helplessness. |
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