Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, Mar 16: Tighte-ning its noose against the illegal mining in the area, the district administration has sealed seven crushers in Ravi basin falling in Kerian Gandyal village of Kathua district bordering neighboring Punjab.
According to official sources the action was taken by the district administration following the recent directives of State High Court against the illegal mining in the area.
To implement the High Court order in letter and spirit, Deputy Commissioner Kathua, Ramesh Kumar constituted a team of four officers headed by Rahul Yadav a probationary IAS Officer with District Mining Officer Bodh Raj, Tehsildar Kathua Avtar Singh and Dy SP Headquarters Kathua Ajay Sharma as its members.
According to tehsildar Kathua, Avtar Singh Mr Yadav had served notices to the crusher proprietors to produce the legal documents regarding their units but they failed to do the same in the stipulated time frame following which the Department took action against them.
He said the team raided the area and seven crushers were sealed on spot for illegal mining in the Ravi basin and dumping of huge material in the area.
Sources said there was also a public resentment against the illegal mining in the area and threat caused by the same to the environment as the villagers of Kerian Gandyal have made number of complaints before the authorities that the water level has depleted 60 feet down in the area and they are unable to get water from dug wells now.
Sources said that some crushers had even dumped the material in the Ravi bed for next two years. Over the years hundreds of crushers have been established in Ravi belt and majority of their owners belong to neighboring Punjab, Sources added.
Sources said increasing mining in the area is also posing threat to flora and fauna in the area as well as water bodies around the river.
Sources said the Ravi basin in low-lying areas of Kathua is already facing threat as no deposits are being made by the river since a long time with the construction of some hydro electric projects as well as barrages in upper reaches of the river due to which the water is diverted for producing the electricity and irrigation facilities to Punjab.
The major power projects and dams on Ravi river included Chemera Dam in HP, Ranjit Sagar Dam in Punjab, Madhavpur Biraj and Beraseul Power Project etc due to which no deposits are made in low-lying areas. The problem has now been further compounded by illegal mining in river basin in Kathua district, sources added.
Sources said environmentalists had already warned the authorities against the same four years back after a team visited the area but all these warnings were not paid nay heed by the authorities.
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