KATHUA: The Geology and Mining Department Kathua has imposed Over Rs. 8 lakh penalty on an excavator and 04 vehicles for unauthorized mining and massive digging in Ujh River, here today.
On receiving complaint of illegal mining in Ujh River, District Mineral Officer Kathua along with officials of revenue department and police rushed to the spot and seized the machinery involved in illegal mining.
Meanwhile, the dugout area was measured by the officials of mining department and the perpetrators were subjected to penalty as per the MM (DR) Act of 1957 and SRO-105 of 2016.
The DMO Kathua informed that the material was excavated from private land by crusher owner after making a deal with the Owner and dumped in the premises of crusher unit for processing and selling the same in Punjab area.
The DMO further informed that there are four mineral leases in the Ujh River for supplying material at fixed rates but instead of purchasing material from the lease, the violators lift mineral from unidentified locations where mining is strictly banned or prohibited. The action has been initiated under overall supervision of Deputy Commissioner Kathua, Dr. Rakesh Minhas.