Excelsior Correspondent
SAMBA, Sept 12: Continuing its mission against Mining Mafia, All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference, (AJKPC) today held protest demonstration in different areas of Samba district that has become safe heaven for illegal mining syndicate.
Anil Sharma, president of the organization along with AJKPC volunteers held protest demonstrations in different areas of the district Samba. While addressing the protesting members, the AJKPC president said that ecology, flora and fauna and water bodies of all the districts of Jammu & Kashmir Union Territory have been inflicted by the illegal minor mineral mafia and the concerned Mining Department instead of taking action against the killers of ecology help them to find new ways for carrying on this illegal mining.
Sharma said that at one side the cost of minor minerals including sand, boulders(Bajri) going out of the reach of common people as the crusher owners charge exorbitant prices for these construction material, moreover they do not provide authentic GST bills and supply material only on Challan, the rates fixed by the concerned Department and district administration just remain on paper .
Besides, condemning the role of Mining Department , he also condemned the district administration and tax authorities under whose patronage this illegal business flourishing.
While giving further details he informed that at present more than 22 mining blocks have been auctioned in district Samba at the total value of Rs 40 crore approximately, whereas the J&K Government had promised to allot mining rights to Panchayats. He said had these block been allotted to Local Panchayats that would have fetched more revenue to State kitty and had also made the rural local bodies self reliant besides providing employment opportunities for local youth of the district.
He urged the Deputy Commissioner of Samba to seize all the JCBs and Porcelain machine operating inside the river and other water bodies as these machines not only cause damage to rivers and Nallahs but also take away employment of poor labours who otherwise collect sand and stone with hand tools. The AJKPC president informed that their organization would hold such more protests in all districts and block headquarters of the Jammu and Kashmir till illegal mining mafia is not dealt under law by the Government.
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