Illegal soil extraction continues in Budgam
Budgam: Illegal soil extraction has been going on unabated despite a blanket ban on it in Khansahab belt of Central Kashmir’s Budgam district, reports said Monday.
Sources said that the committee that had been formed to curb illegal soil extraction is in deep slumber and giving every opportunity to soil mafia to disfigure the picturesque ‘karevas’ of the district.
Sources said that illegal soil extraction has been going on in different areas of Khanahab including Harwani, Wahpora, Chaira and other villages.
Locals alleged that some officials from the Revenue Department are facilitating this illegal practice and are taking bribe from the soil mafia. They also said that Revenue Department has given soil mafia a license to loot the resources while district administration is only acting as a mute spectator.
Locals identified some of the contractors allegedly involved in illegal soil extraction as Sanaullah, Bashir Ahmed and Muhammad Saleem who according to them are using modern machinery to extract as much soil as possible.
Recently, Divisional administration Kashmir Baseer Khan removed Assistant Commissioner (AC) Revenue Budgam Abdul Hameed Zargar as the head of a recently formed committee to curb illegal soil extraction in the district following complaints against official that he was facilitating it.
Locals said that Central Kashmir’s Budgam district’s Karewas have been witnessing unprecedented illegal extraction of soil for years now with the soil mafia allegedly carrying it out in connivance with the officials of Revenue Department.
The soil extraction has been banned under the J&K Land Revenue Act, section 133-A, but still various places in Budgam, Khansahab and Chadoora areas of the district have been witnessing illegal extraction of soil in the name of filling Rakh-e-Arth which the government has ordered to be turned into a residential colony.
The complaints of rampant soil extraction have been reported from Kuzwera, Kultra Nowbugh localities of Chadoora Sub Division and of Pallar, Batpora, Razwein, Whabpora in Budgam tehsil.
The locals have been facing disturbances due to the hundreds of tippers transporting the soil from the areas during night hours. (KNT)
KV News
