Over 450 posts lying vacant, no manpower for check posts
Govt only seeking data, doing nothing to fill vacancies
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Sept 4: Rendered handicapped due to non-serious approach of the Government towards filling up of vacant posts, the Geology and Mining Department is finding it difficult to check illegal mining in the length and breadth of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir even after numerous and explicit directions from the High Court.
While dealing with the Public Interest Litigations (PIL) in Srinagar and Jammu wings, the High Court has passed directions from time to time to the Geology and Mining Department for tightening noose around those indulging in illegal mining. However, there is no discernible improvement in this regard mainly because the department doesn’t have enough manpower to maintain hawk’s eye even on the most vulnerable spots, official sources told EXCELSIOR.
“Every year the posts of different categories are falling vacant due to retirement of officials but the Government is only seeking data of vacant posts from the Geology and Mining Department after every six months instead of initiating steps to make recruitments”, they further said while disclosing that during the past many years not even single recruitment has been made in this department, which otherwise has to play key role in protecting the mineral wealth of J&K Union Territory.
According to the sources, around 476 posts of different categories are presently lying vacant in the department and majority of the District Mineral Officers (DMOs), who have the primary duty of maintaining close vigil on illegal mining, don’t have more than 4 officials at their disposal. “In such a situation it is very difficult or rather impossible for them to attend routine official matters and inspect the areas prone to illegal mining by personally paying visits”, they added.
In order to check the illegal activities of the mining mafia, the Geology and Mining Department has identified locations for establishment of 111 check posts along the rivers and nullahs through SIDCO. Out of these around 15 have already been constructed while as work on around 60 more is going on smoothly. In respect of other check posts, sufficient State land is not available.
“How the Geology and Mining Department would man all these 111 posts after being completed and handed over to it by SIDCO in the coming months especially when it doesn’t have the sufficient officials to effectively man even 15 check posts remains a million dollar question”, sources said, adding “the Geology and Mining Department has written to the Government a number of times for providing sufficient manpower but no serious attention has been paid towards this aspect till date as a result of which the mining mafia is working without any fear”.
Despite being aware of the fact that illegal mining generally takes place during night hours, there is no provision with the Geology and Mining Department to station manpower at check posts during this time and the prevailing situation has become blessing in disguise for the mining mafia, who manage to carry out illegal activities either with the connivance of the police or by dodging them, sources further said.
When contacted, Director Geology and Mining O P Bhagat confirmed that department was grossly understaffed and finding it difficult to effectively implement the directions of the High Court issued from time to time. “Hopefully, the Government will shortly initiate steps to fill the vacant posts. In the meanwhile, we are going to do rationalization and will deploy as maximum as possible manpower in those areas which are most vulnerable from illegal mining point of view”, he added.
In response to a question, he said that Government has accepted the recommendations of a committee which was constituted for in-depth examination of alleged illegal mining activities/operations of stone crusher units located in and around River Tawi in violation of High Court directions.
“While the department has already started implementing the recommendations, the High Court will shortly be approached with the plea to lift ban on mining in River Tawi”, he said in response to another question.
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