Mining department, Jammu Police on hunt, still mining in Tawi Rivers goes unabated

Avinash Azad

Jammu, Sept 15: Despite seizure of more than a dozen vehicle involved in illegal extraction and transpiration minerals from Jammu Tawi and other sources, the Mining Department and Jammu Police yet far away to put a full stop on this illegal trade causing huge losses to the state exchequer.
According to whistle-blower, he has submitted two written complaints regarding illegal mining at specific points in Tawi river, but no action has been taken yet by the mining department. “Huge extraction of RBM taking place in violation of rules. So I took up the matter with the Director Mining Department. I brought into Director’s notice about two points, where major extraction is taking places i.e. Lalyal along Tawi river and the Badyal Brahmana area from where mining goes unnoticed”, he said, adding that as per rules mining is banned during the rainy season.
“On August 25, 2020 I wrote a letter to the Director, Geology and Mining Department. I submitted that during the rainy season large scale deposits of sand and R.B.M taking place in the River Tawi and has the resulting in huge illegal mining from Lalyal area, even during day time as well which has resulted heavy loss to the state exchequer revenue”, the whistle-blower said adding that since, no extraction/mining was allowed particularly during the rainy season and this menace of illegal/extraction has created chaos in the River Tawi which needs immediate action to prevent.
“On the very next day, i.e. 26/08/2022 I again informed the Director Mining about illegal dumping in District, Jammu. It is again submitted that large-scale illegal dumps are operating in and around Badyal Brahmana”, the whistle-blower further claimed, showing the complaints logged with the mining department against illegal mining.
The District Mining Officer, Jammu, Gulshan Kumar claiming that the department has already taken up matters with district administration and the Deputy Commissioner, formulating a policy to end the illegal mining, said that the Mining department was leaving no stone unturned to prevent illegal mining.
“We have imposed more than Rs 1.5 crores fine on violators in a few months. Our drive is continued. The mining department is dependent on Police and the district administration in operation against the mining mafia. We with the support of Jammu Police and district administration have achieved huge success”, he said, adding that around two dozen vehicle involved in illegal mining being seized on daily bases.
“Moreover, Deputy Commission Jammu, on request of Mining department working on major policy to end illegal mining. The DC has so far held at least four meetings, soon we will come out with a policy to end this illegal trade”, he added.