Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 25: Government today scrapped mining contract of Chandigarh firm in Kathua area of Jammu region and suspended the Director Geology and Mining for issuing the contract.
The announcement was made by the Minister for Industries and Commerce, Chander Parkash Ganga today in the Legislative Assembly after members from both Treasury and Opposition benches created ruckus in the House over the issue for the second consecutive day today.
Responding to the concerns raised by various members in the House, the Minister said that the orders issued by the Director, Geology and Mining on May 12, 2016 for allotment of mining rights to non-state subject in Jammu region have been cancelled with immediate effect.
“The decision in this regard has been taken for the satisfaction of the House and keeping the motto of the coalition Government of honesty, integrity, public probity and transparency,” Ganga said.
The Minister said that after the directions of Speaker, Kavinder Gupta provisions related to auction and applicability to non-locals for mining in the State should be withheld, rest of the provisions were to be kept in force so that matters related to transportation, storage and illegal mining can be regulated by the Department.
The Minister said that the High Court stay order of April 25, 2016 granting stay to auction process is being followed in letter and spirit by the Department. He said copies of the High Court order have been provided to the House Committee.
Ganga clarified that Pollution Control Board (PCB) provides consent for the activities which have been mandated under Environment Protection Act read with Air Act and Water Act. He said that consent of PCB is not issued through provisions of SRO-105.
“SRO-105 does not deal with operation of Stone Crushers. There is a need for an enabling Act and Rules for regulating operation of Stone Crushers in the State,” the Minister said.
Bharatiya Janata Party member Choudhary Sukhnandan Kumar withdrew his name from the House Committee, constituted to examine the provisions of SRO 105, under which all type of mining is banned in Jammu and Kashmir, in protest against the incident.
Earlier, as soon as the House resumed functioning for the day, CPI (M) MLA Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, besides other members, were on their feet demanding that the Minister should respond to the concern raised in the House yesterday.
Welcoming Government’s decision to revoke the contract and suspend the concerned officer, Tarigami, however, said the statement given by the Minister was factually incorrect. “Don’t defend something which you can’t defend. You say that you were not aware of the contract is incorrect because the order which you cancelled today was issued on May 12,” he said.
Tarigami said that contract was in grave violation of the directions of the High Court and the Speaker. “After SRO 105 was implemented, Geology and Mining department released a statement on April 16, in which it said that the Government is giving a breathing period of three months with respect to SRO 105. A petition was filed by the people of Doda in the High Court in which they had referred this statement by the department. In its observation, the HC said that the Government should follow its own statement regarding SRO 105,” he said.
Mohammad Akbar Lone asked about the action taken against the officers and Minister. He said that lease order was revoked to save the face of the Government. He said that Government has disrespected the House and chair. He said that it is breach of privilege by the Minister.
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