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| Clay mafia defaces beautiful Karewa in Bijbehara | | |  Saahil Suhail
Early Times Report
Anantnag, June 25: ‘Influential’ clay mafia continues to deface a beautiful Karewa in South Kashmir’s Bijbehara area by excavating clay allegedly to fill paddy land along Srinagar-Jammu highway.
According to reports, the illegal and unauthorized excavation of clay has been going on for the last several years. They said that excavated clay is being sold in black market to private parties who use it for filling agriculture land along the newly constructed Srinagar-Jammu national highway.
“This was a beautiful Karewa here in Bijbehara and the district administration particularly Revenue and Geology department was supposed to protect it, but they allowed its vandalization after taking heavy bribe,” alleged residents.
They alleged that previously the administration had ordered a complete ban on the excavation of clay as a portion of it belongs to the state, but then they allowed few individuals to resume.
“We were told that a group of people dealing with this clay business were allowed and directed to supply clay for the construction emergency air landing strip being constructed on Srinagar-Jammu national highway at Jablipora, but now this group has started misusing this permission and are selling the clay on exorbitant rates and even supplying this clay for filling paddy land,” they added.
According to sources, the clay excavation takes place during odd hours particularly during late night hours. “The spot is just a few meters away from the office of Sub-Divisional Officer Bijbehara,” they added. They claimed that the officers and employees are hand-in-glove with the excavators and they allow the misuse after taking heavy bribes from them.
This reporter tried to contact District Geology and Mining officer Anantnag, but he didn’t pick up the phone despite repeated calls. Sub-Divisional Bijbehara, Jahangir Ahmad that misuse of permission which they have got from the Geology and Mining department will be dealt seriously.
“Actually it is the Geology and Mining department which allows them to excavate clay from the spot, but if they are misusing it then it will be dealt with very seriously,” SDM Bijbehara said. An officer at the Geology and Mining department told Early Times that clay excavators haven’t followed the due process for seeking permission.
“They can’t use this clay for filling the paddy land but unfortunately they are doing it and multiple agencies which were supposed to stop it haven’t done anything since the last many years,” he added. The Karewas have geological importance, however the excavation have reduced these plateau lands into ugly ravines.
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