news details |
|
|
| Illegal miners loot Tawi river, babus ignore | | People forced to purchase construction materials at exorbitant rate | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Aug 23: Notwithstanding the rate fixed by the administration, mining-mafia are charging at an extortionate price of construction materials from the common people.
It is all due to the patronage of some Babus, who have given free hand to the mining mafia to extract sand and related materials from anywhere, that there is no check on rates of building materials especially sand, gravels and Bajri.
Wishing anonymity a tipper owner told the Early Times that they have to give ‘entry’ to different departments so it is difficult rather impossible to sell construction material as per the rates fixed by the authorities.
Shockingly except for issuing an order to fix rates of sand and bajri, authorities have no time to check the implementation of their order on the ground.
“Rates have been fixed at every naka and amount collected from these nakas is distributed among higher-ups”, he said and admitted that only poor people are suffering due to nexus between mining mafia and administration.
On May 24, the district administration, Jammu had notified the maximum rates for minor mineral (Natural construction material) applicable in Jammu district and also constituted Tehsil level enforcement committees to check the black marketing of such minor minerals like Sand, Bajri, Gravels, and Boulders, etc.
The notification contains the names of the Officers with their telephone/cell phone numbers for the aggrieved consumer of overcharging, who can approach the concerned area Tehsildar who heads the enforcement committee for the purpose and it included the SHO in charge of the concerned Police station, Officials of Forest, Flood Control and Geology and Mining.
Ironically, some customers who refused to pay the extortionate prices were denied building materials by suppliers. The poor customers were left with no other options but to purchase the same at exorbitant prices.
What is more shocking, mining from the river Tawi is also going unabated despite the directions of the Court.
In October 2020, the J&K government vide order No.1018-JK(GAD) of 2020 Dated:29.10.2020 had constituted a Special Task Force (STF) to check the menace of illegal extraction of sand and other minor minerals from the bank of River Tawi and its tributaries. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
