Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Aug 28: Division Bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Alok Aradhe today sought report about the safety of mining sites and combined check list of mining places by next date.
The Counsel representing Central Government-Tahir Shamsi (ASGI) with M I Qadri Senior Advocate appearing in the petition and Geology and Mining Department has to provide the check list in a combined form before the court, DB directed.
Check list has been sought from all the concerned in order to ensure the proper safety of mining places as also individuals across the state.
During the proceedings of the case, Court has been informed that the mining places in the State produce valuable mineral and these sites need to be monitored and saved. Court further directed for providing information with regard appointments and prescribed qualifications for different mining activities.
Court said in case these directions are not complied with then Commissioner Secretary and Director Geology and Mining shall remain present in the court.
Counsel representing in the PIL submitted before the court that the authorities particularly Commissioner Secretary Industries & Commerce Department as also Director Geology & Mining have ignored the objective of supervision and inspection of the mining activities in the State which adversely affected the landscape of the State and has caused heavy loss of lives, property and adversely affected the environment besides polluting air, water and soil.
“The State of J&K has vast natural mineral resources which include limestone suitable for manufacture of cement, chiseled limestone, fundai limestone, hamam limestone, magnesite deposits in Katra-Panthal area of Jammu province, bauxite deposits of Udhampur district, Gypsum deposits of Doda and Uri Baramulla, Marble deposits in Kupwara district, Granite deposits in Kargil, Kangan, Baramulla, Udhampur and also billion tones of minor minerals like sand, bajri, nalla boulders which are available in river Chenab, Tawi river, river Jhelum and other tributaries besides Karewa deposits of clay in Kashmir Valley million tones of clay extracted for brick kilns, construction of roads and highways as well as railway tracks and other prestigious projects of State and mainly huge quantity of clay is extracted from Anantnag, Budgam and Pulwama districts in Kashmir”, the PIL said.
Underscoring the importance of these mineral which are required for developmental works, petitioner submitted that the same time environment and the landscape is required to be maintained while extracting such minerals and no harm and damage is required to be caused to them.
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