The Chief Secretary has urged the Department of Mining and Divisional Administration to adopt a resolute stance against the scourge of illicit mining in the UT. He emphasised the imperative to ensure a seamless provision of essential construction materials to the public by amplifying the allocation of permits for extracting minor minerals. The formulation of potent deterrents to quell illegal mining while concurrently expanding permits to encompass all areas and ensuring an unimpeded supply of construction materials for the populace and public projects in the UT are viable solutions. However, the stark reality persists: while e-auctions significantly bolster Government revenue, the surge in construction material prices has rendered them exorbitant for the common man. Despite the Government stipulating price tags for sand and gravel, these essential materials remain far beyond the financial grasp of the populace. The prevalent selling rates are an open secret, yet tangible actions to rectify the glaring price disparities remain conspicuously absent.
The issue, periodically raised by civil society, has encountered a stubborn lack of resolution on the ground. Initially, the absence of mining rights allotment during the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the problem. Even after the resumption of e-auctions, the regulatory measures implemented have fallen short of the requisite standards. The Chief Secretary’s intervention is not only justified but imperative. His two-pronged strategy, focusing on expanding mining sites and simultaneously cracking down on illegal mining, presents viable solutions in the current exigency. The repercussions of this crisis extend beyond the general public and affect Government projects adversely. Civil contractors, grappling with the burdensome challenge of exorbitant construction material prices, find themselves ensnared in the complexities of tender calculations based on Government rates. The recent seizure of JCBs and other equipment in Kathua serves as irrefutable evidence of the rampant illegal mining plaguing the region. Collaboration between the Mining Department and the police is indispensable to staunchly curbing these illicit activities. The onus is now squarely on the Mining Department to proactively devise a workable solution to this protracted issue.
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