Rajouri, 23 Mar: Mining Mafia in Anantnag district is at peak as extraction of Sand, Bajiri, Boulders and other material from Nallahs across Rajouri district and Illegal and unscientific mining practices going on at large scale in the area.

 

The locals have also demanded a probe, alleging that the G&M department officials have been involved in the crime.

People of Rajouri have demanded a probe in the matter to fix the responsibility of officers involved in the crime.

 

“It is not a small issue. We can say that river bodies of the district have been mercilessly murdered and officers of G&M department continue to be mute spectators. We suspect that both senior officers of department as well as concerned Ministry are hand in glove with the illegal miners and a central investigation agency should be asked to probe the matter,” the lacals of the area alleged.

 

They said that the world is talking about environment conservation and we are murdering our natural resources with “due involvement of the government.”

 

They alleged that the concerned authorities have ignored their complaints despite the fact that ongoing sand extraction has put embankments under tremendous pressure and caused a huge damage to its base.

 

“We are concerned about the continuous sand, Bajri & Boulder mining activities in the area because they are related to a number of social and environmental problems. Our area has been most severely impacted due to the ongoing illegal mining excavation, which is not being stopped by anyone,”locals said.

 

Now they also appealed higher authorities to look into the matter and intervention in this regard and resolve the issue at earliest.(CNI)