Illegal sand mining goes on unabated in Firozpore Nallah
Budgam: Illegal boulder and sand mining on the banks of the Ferozpore Nallah in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district is going on unabated in twin villages, even as the Court has strictly imposed a ban on it.
The residents of Gogigam and Bhadran villages of Budgam say they have been complaining to the authorities about the illegal practice for the last six years, but to no avail.
The sand mafia even disfigured the beauty of the embankment that had been constructed after the devastating 2014 flood.
The land situated on the banks is getting eroded continuously due to unchecked mining, the villagers said.
“It has been over six years since this is going on. More land of some marginal farmers is exposed to the risk,” said the villagers.
The villagers said that since the areas falls both within the Budgam and Baramulla districts and they had lodged multiple complaints with the Deputy Commissioners of these two districts, but no action is taken.
“District Development Commissioner Budgam didn’t show any interest while the then Deputy Commissioner Baramulla issued a formal order directing officials to put an end to the practice, but on ground, nothing changed,” they said adding that a complaint in this regard has also been lodged at Grievance Cell at Civil Secretariat.
Residents say the sand mafia uses tractors and tippers for excavation from the beds of the Nallah.
They appealed concerned authorities to look into the matter and stop this illegal practice that has been going on unabated from past six years. (KNT)
