MLAs across party lines express concern over illegal mining in Jammu & Kashmir

Legislators across Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday expressed concern over illegal and large scale mining in various rivers and canals across the region fearing problems in the irrigation of agricultural lands downstream and exposing several areas to floods.

The legislators across party lines also expressed concerns that the majority of the mining contracts over the past few years have gone to non-local companies who have pushed heavy machinery into these pristine canals and rivers devastating the ecosystem in and around. They alleged that with this unregulated machine work several feet deep holes in these canals have been created violating all environment norms besides posing a threat to the population and agriculture as well.

"Most of the mining contracts have gone to outsiders who have wreaked havoc in our canals which is directly impacting the livelihoods of locals besides threatening irrigation downstream," said Ghulam Ahmad Mir of Congress.


The BJP legislator from Jammu Vikram Randhawa said that the mining industry has become a golden goose for the government. "Tawi river in Jammu has been ruined by illegal mining. Here pony walas earning a few hundred by mining sand manually, face action while big fishes get away," said Randhawa adding, "Let the government explain why mining is going on in the blocks which have not been allocated yet."

The ruling National Conference legislators Ghulam Mohiuddin Mir and Saifuddin Bhat also expressed concerns over the illegal mining happening across the region. "In some cases even the boundary of these canals has been mined exposing the area to floods," said Mir.

The NC legislator Bhat alleged that these non local companies somehow manage to get permissions over phone and they keep mining without any supervision, while local pony or tractor owners have lost his traditional and customary livelihood. "I will protest along with my people if I find any non local company mining in my area from now onwards," Bhat warned. The legislators across the party lines urged the government to review the mining and the e-tendering process as it has put the locals at a disadvantage as they cannot compete with big companies.

The Aam Aadmi Party legislator Mehraj Malik also alleged that royalty coming from the ongoing mining across J&K is a scam and it should be investigated. "Illegal mining is allowed while locala are facing the wrath," said Malik. The People's Democratic Party legislator Waheed Para said that after August 5, 2019, when special status of J&K was abrogated, resources, land, sand, soil and everything had been put on sale.

The Awami Ittehad Party legislator, Khursheed Ahmad Sheikh said that heavy fines levied on locals engaged in manual excavation should be stopped besides demanding a ban on mechanical excavation.