Anantnag, May 29 (KNO): The residents of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Friday alleged that the illegal mineral extraction goes unabated in different villages of the district while the authorities are acting as mute spectators.
Inhabitants of the district accused authorities of inaction against the ‘vested interest elements’ who according to them resort to illegal extraction of sand and other minerals.
Locals told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that some people are extracting soil, sand and other minerals illegally from Karewaras and Nallahs but despite repeated requests no officer has taken any action against them.
“The JCB’s are openly extracting the soil from the karewas in Marhama village and it's adjacent areas in Bijbehara tehsil while the authorities don’t even bother to reach the spot to take action against them. It seems that the authorities are hand-in-glove with these elements as no action is being taken against them,” the locals alleged.
They said illegal extraction is going on round the clock and the noise of tippers, tractors and other machines used for extraction is not letting them to sleep at night.
The locals said the extraction continues in the area from last two months and they have been continuously approached the officials of geology and mining department, revenue department and police but so far nothing has been done on ground.
They appealed the divisional commissioner Kashmir and district magistrate Anantnag to look into the matter and deal with the offenders strictly. Pertinently, the soil extraction has been banned under the J&K Land Revenue Act, section 133-A.
Meanwhile, District mineral officer Anantnag, Zulfikar Ahmad said that the matter has been brought into his notice and has already a sent a team to the spot to stop the extraction.
“I have sought ground report and names of extractors from revenue officials,” he said while assuring that all extractors will be booked in next two days—(KNO)