Illegal mineral extraction goes unabated in Pulwama
Pulwama: The residents of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Friday alleged that the illegal mineral extraction goes unabated in Nallah Romshi in different villages of the district while the authorities are acting as mute spectator.
Inhabitants of the district accused authorities of inaction against the ‘vested interest elements’ who according to them resort to illegal extraction of Bajri and Boulders from Nallah Romshi.
Locals told ‘Kashmir Vision’ that some people are extracting bajri, boulders illegally from nallah thereby resulted in the receding of water level besides weakening the embankments.
They said that illegal mining is posing threat to their horticulture and agriculture land as the level of Nallah is going down with each passing day.
“If the situation continues like this the water from the Nallah won’t enter into the farm or agricultural lands whenever the framers will need it for irrigation purposes,” they said.
“The illegal extraction from the nallah is posing a threat to the fish production as well,” they said.
“The JCB’s are openly extracting the minerals from the nallah while the authorities don’t even bother to reach the spot to take action against them and the illegal extraction process is carried out every day during morning hours,” the locals added.
“Illegal extraction is going on in night and morning time and the noise of tippers, tractors and other machines used for extraction is not even letting us to sleep peacefully,” they added.
The locals appealed to the higher-ups and the concerned departments to look into the matter and deal with the offenders strictly.
Meanwhile, an official in the district administration said that extraction is carried out during night and it is not possible for the local administration to catch the offenders without support of other departments.
He assured that he will look into the matter and seek support from other departments as well so that action can be taken against the illegal extractors.
