Norms being thrown to winds under admn’s nose
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 5: Throwing existing norms and mining rules to the winds, mining mafia is illegally operating in Jhajjar Nallah, under the nose of local administration, posing severe threat to the water sources in Dansal Tehsil and its adjoining villages and hamlets of Jammu district.
While as per the defined norms of the Geology and Mining Department, no contractor or party holding contract license of any mining block of the river or Nallah is allowed to conduct mining activity within 500 mtrs from any motorable bridge or water source (dug well/ tube well etc). The stone crushers established at the banks of such nallahs or nearby area, are also not permitted to carry on such activity, but in Dansal and Jhajjar Kotli area the norms are being flouted with impunity.
A stone crusher closer Badsoo and Chhadali village in Dansal has been set up in the Jhajjar Nallah but despite hue and cry by the villagers and public of the area, the illegal mining activity is carried out there just within 100 to 150 mtrs of the main water source and two -three other adjoining dug/ tube wells. These three-four Tube wells provide water supply to a population of over 15,000 to 20,000 people.
Sources said that as per standing norms and the contract/ auction agreement, the mining block holders are not allowed to dig more than 3 ft river bed but in Dansal and Jhajjar area even more than 6-7 feet deep Nallah has been dug using heavy machinery near this stone crusher and much closer to the water sources/dug wells of the villagers. The villagers claim that neither G&M officials, nor the Jal Shakti Department officials take cognizance of the matter and ruing April, May and June, the area faces water crisis and this problem has been aggravated for the last about a decade.
Huge dumps of sand and other river material have been raised at several locations illegally. Even during the rest period of rainy season, the activity was not suspended in Jhajjar Nallah and the mafia in alleged connivance of the local police and administration carried out its illegal activity without any fear at the cost of threat to the local water sources. Even the mining activity near Chhadali bridge is going on unchecked.
Sources said the villagers during June after water crisis in the area approached Tehsildar Dansal and sought his intervention into the matter. He directed his revenue staff led by Naib Tehsildar Jhajjar Kotli to visit the sites and submit a report but even after one month no such report came out and no action on ground level was visible.
Then the villagers approached Dy Commissioner Jammu who sealed one of the stone crushers in the area while the other one involved in massive violation remained operational. The G&M Department imposed penalty on the stone crusher operators for violation. It suspended its illegal activity for some time but again started the same. Most of this illegal activity goes on during night time, the sources added.
The locals then forwarded night operation pics to the Deputy Commissioner Jammu then a team was sent to the area for action. But the operators had already received pre-information about the possible action and the team returned empty handed hardly fornight back.
District Mineral Officer Jammu along with Tehsildar Dansal were deputed again by the DC to the area again who found violation and imposed some nominal fine on the operators and allowed operation.
DMO Jammu, Virender Singh when contacted said that on the directions of Deputy Commissioner Jammu, he along with his field staff reached Dansal Stone Crusher where he found violation being committed by the operators. After calculating extra material dug out from the Jhajjar Nallah bed, a penalty of over Rs 11 lakh was imposed on them and also recovered the same in two installments.
When asked, what is the criteria of imposing fine on the violators and what does the norms say, Singh said no contractor or Stone crusher operator is allowed to dig river / nallah bed beyond 3 ft. moreover, no mining activity of this type is allowed within 500 mts of aerial distance from a motorable bridge or a public water source like dug/ tube well etc.
Responding to another question DMO said one stone crusher has already been sealed for violations and if needed this one also be sealed and recommendation will be forwarded to the Deputy Commissioner who is the competent authority. He said police assistance is needed for immediate operation some time and they find difficulty in this regard on several occasions.
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