Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, Aug 10: BJP MLC Vibodh Gupta today met with the District Development Commissioner, Rajouri Mohammad Aijaz and discussed various issues pertaining to District Rajouri.
During the discussion, Mr Gupta raised his concern over illegal mining activities going on in the District at large scale by a group of people.
Gupta informed the DDC that bidders have been permitted to collect the Royalty without any notice and Geology and Mining Department misused 104 A for interest of successful bidders. If, 104A is purely on royalty basis then what is the interest of such contractors who are supposed to work on no profit no loss pattern? he asked and added that these successful bidders were engaged in unscientific haphazard unlawful mining not only in 24 blocks but in the whole of the district and District Mineral Officer was acting as a mere spectator.
In this regard, the MLC submitted a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner and highlighted that District Mineral Officer Rajouri permitted the left out area, including buffer zone to be excavated by the said contractor which is not even in his jurisdiction. Besides this, he added, there is no check on stock register maintained by the Department of Geology and Mining and which needs immediate probe. Alleging that, such favour and illegal activities by the bidders and Geology and Mining Department was prevalent only in District Rajouri, Mr Gupta asked the DDC to take stern action against the defaulters.
Stressing that even the minerals and mining material being excavated by the PWD (R&B), PMGSY and other Government agencies must also be put in record and demarcation of rivers must be done at the earliest, the MLC rued that due to the uncontrolled mining in District Rajouri, precious lives of young children were lost several times.
The MLC also sought early completion of various developmental projects, like Vedant Ashsram Bridge and Bridge at Batala Mang Rajouri, Circular Road work, replacement of worn out water pipes, WSS under LIC, drilling of Hand pumps, etc.
The DDC gave a patient hearing and assured Gupta that the necessary action shall be taken against the mining defaulters with in week’s time. He also assured timely action over other issues raised by the MLC.
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