- Mining and Geology is playing hide and seek
HANDWARA: Illegal extraction and lifting of stones and boulders from Khekhshi area of Rajpora where a massive slide had erupted a few days back, is going on unabated. The local administration, however, has been unable to stop the lifting which continued right under its nose for the second consecutive day.
“From Friday dozens of heavy load carriers are lifting tones of stones from the site. Heavy vehicles including dampers, tippers, and JCB machines are used by the erring contractor,” said Mir Imran, local resident. They also alleged a nexus between “contractor and some government agencies including mining and Geology Department”.
Despite assurances from authorities that the illegal destructive activity would be stopped extraction has continued unabated, he added. He further said that the district officer had assured them that the contractor is allowed to lift only 40 tippers from the site thereafter would be stopped by the In charge present on site but the erring officials allowed the contractor to lift more then the permitted material and has been selling the material on site through out the day thus caused huge loss to the state revenue.
The contractor who is operating machinery near the slide hit site is hand in glove with some officials in the Geology and Mining department Kupwara who are turning a blind eye towards the illegal lifting of stones and rock bolders from the site.
Almost everywhere in the district the administration is allowing the extraction after proper verification and granting legal permits to the contractors, but after hit by land slide within no time this site became a gold mine for the officials as well as the blue eyed contractor who indulge in destructive activity, the locals further added.