Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, July 30: While ‘grey-gold’ mafia continued to control illegal mining in major rivers, streams and nallahs of Jammu region in connivance with some key Government officers, the Department of Geology and Mining is loosing a net revenue worth over Rs 70 to 75 crore annually in the region.
The pilferage in the State revenue worth tens of cores is going on for the last more than one decade under the nose of senior officers of the Departments of Industries and Commerce and Geology and Mining while the mafia from the State and outside is making huge money, through illegal mining of ‘grey-gold’ in the rivers like Ravi, Ujh, Basantar, Tarnah, Devak, Tawi, Chenab and other streams and nallahs of Jammu region. Not only some senior officers but ‘many’ staff members from top to bottom in the Department conniving with the mafia have, raised huge assets over these years which needs thorough investigation by Government agencies.
Despite the ban imposed by the respective District Magistrates of Kathua, Jammu and Samba, the illegal mining mafia continued to operate openly, without bothering for the DM and his subordinate staff besides Mining engineers/ District Mining Officers (DMOs) and are openly using machines/ JCBs for the mining purpose and loading tippers and trolleys.
The Excelsior team spotted three JCBs in river Tawi, down stream between Bhagwati Nagar bridge and Phallain Mandal old bridge and another in the river near stone crusher on new 4th bridge and old Satwari- Chatha road recently.
Well placed sources told the Excelsior that from river Ravi over 80 % of the material including sand, stones gravel etc is going in Punjab with the active connivance of the insiders in the department while hardly 15-20 % is being locally consumed. Not only this, over 50 odd stone crushers in the river belonging to Punjab have dug the river bed even 40 to 50 feet deep while as per guidelines of G&M Department they can not go beyond 5 to 6 ft deep and that too, manually, but unfortunately with the use of heavy machinery/ JCBs massive digging has been done all along the river bed up to Keedian Gandyal and even down stream causing massive threat to the environment. The State Government has yet to wake up from the deep slumber over this illegal activity.
A retired Chief Engineer of Irrigation and Flood Control department said that due to Ranjit Sagar Dam, bund near Madhopur and even Chamera dam on river Ravi, the scope of recharge of damaged river bed down stream Lakhanpur bridge is negligible. This illegal mining activity has depleted the water table in Kathua and Nagri areas besides other adjoining areas. It also degraded the river bed and caused damage to vegetation in the riverine area. It is great threat to environment and the SPCB and Flood Control department must take cognizance of the matter besides Geology and Mining department.
He said how SPCB officials are silent over the issue, can be anybody’s guess. He said that increasing illegal mining in river Tawi and Basantar during last one decade has also caused massive damage and there is no control at all despite ban by the DCs concerned due to the reason that the field staff has been connived with the mafia and the calendestine activity goes on unchecked under the nose of officers. In the process some senior officers too, get connived with the wealthy mafia and share booty on weekly and monthly basis at the cost of environment.
The sources further revealed that in several G&M blocks including Bhagwati Nagar, Ware House, Belicharana, Chatha, Old Satwari, Sidhra and Bajalta points of river Tawi, concerned police posts do get their share of the booty collected from the tipper and trolley operators. While the G&M officials claimed that they have shortage of staff and are unable to cover all entry and exit river points to get royalty from vehicles coming from river with sand, stones etc, the naked truth is that they have engaged private youth who collect money for the department and pay the revenue as per their sweet will. Even the Govt receipts have been handed over to such private persons. Against one slip, they even allow 4-5 vehicles and that extra amount goes into the pocket of ‘middle men’ and some key G&M officials, the sources added.
With this modus operandi and illegal activity, a pilferage worth over Rs 6 crore per month is being committed by the ‘mafia-official nexus’ in Jammu region. With the fear of being exposed, the officials at the helm of affairs are showing less revenue while, there is no system being adopted by them to plug massive leakage in the State revenue from the mining activity. Not only river material, stone crushers and brick kilns are the other major sources of revenue for the Geology and Mining department here while in Doda, Ramban and Kashmir other mining activities are also thriving.
The G&M Department came to light during the recent Assembly session after some Legislators raised question on the mal-functioning in the department and granting illegal permission to the parties from outside the State (Punjab) in river Ravi for this illegal mining activity. The Government even suspended the Director Farooq Ahmed Khan.
Sources said that the revenue of the block IV of river Tawi which was auctioned to one Chaman Lal for over Rs 60 lakh hardly for two months, its revenue has dropped even five times. DMO Jammu Rajiv Jamwal when asked said that he has shortage of staff and for this reason, the revenue has gone down. He further claimed that he had only seven employees for that block while contractor had engaged about 40 men there. He disclosed that Jammu district is generating average revenue of Rs 20 to 25 lakh per month. He, however, claimed that during 2013-14 Jammu district generated revenue of Rs 5.6 crore in 2014-15 Rs 3.5 crore and during 2015-16 Rs 4.2 crore. He claimed that revenue goes on increasing and decreasing depending upon the demand of the material. After completion of NH, the demand of mining material reduced, he added.
District Kathua has been considered as the ‘gold mine’ in the department as many officials prefer posting there as it generates majority of the revenue for the department in Jammu region and mafia is considered as more influential there. Instead of realizing revenue worth over Rs 100 crores in Jammu region, the department is realizing hardly Rs 25 to 30 crore revenue annually. About 75 % of the revenue is estimated to be going into the pockets and coffers of the ‘middle-men’ and this mafia, the sources added.
District Mineral Officer Kathua, Bodh Raj, who has been placed in the same district for the last over eight years, claimed that most of the stone crushers in river Ravi are operating legally and they have also obtained NOC from the SPCB. He denied illegal activity of mining in the river and claimed that the department has been monitoring the activity. He said there will be around 60-70 stone crushers in the river and 36 are in Kathua district under their jurisdiction. They are mainly in Keediya Gandyal area. He denied pilferage in the revenue and said that auction process is yet to be set in motion and department is collecting revenue through its staff.
Giving figures, the DMO Kathua claimed that during 2013-14 a revenue to the tune of Rs 15.72 crore was generated while it was Rs 18.14 crore during 2014-15 and during 2015-16, the G&M department realized a revenue of Rs 20.90 crore in the district.
Dr Devinder Singh, DMO Samba when contacted said that entire data of the revenue of all the districts of Jammu region will be available with the Mining Engineer/ Jt Director (officiating) Jammu Imtiaz Khan. He said that Khan is controlling the entire activities of Jammu region and he is the person concerned who can give the details. Imtiaz, however, said that figures have to be worked out and it may take some time.
Minister for Industries and Commerce Chander Parkash when contacted said that he has already prepared a list of over staying officers of the G&M department and also who have raised huge assets. He admitted huge pilferage in the revenue of the department and said that it is happening for the last many years. The Minister said from various river points the vehicles are carrying material and it is not practically possible to cover all the areas. Huge staff is needed for it. But for the streamlining of the system and plug the pilferage in revenue some affective measures are being taken.
“You will see the results within one month. I have already generated maximum information about my officers and other staff members of the department. Whether he is DMO Kathua, or somebody else in Kashmir, and other districts, I have taken a decision in this regard. I will not spare anyone. No body can raise a finger against me as I am not connected with any such system. Secret inquiries will also be conducted and required action will be taken against the people involved, “the Minister maintained.
He further said that House Committee was also set up in the Assembly when the matter was highlighted in Assembly. Director G&M Farooq Khan was placed under suspension and inquiry was initiated against him. Let the report of the Committee come and its suggestions will also be discussed in the Cabinet. He said what ever is required the Government will do to prevent the revenue theft and auction process of river blocks will be set in motion after the disposal of a case pending in State High Court.
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