| News Details |
| Adv. Sharma demands lifting of ban on extraction of minor minerals from Tawi river bed | | Blanket ban of extraction of minor minerals from Tawi river causing eco-imbalance and hardship to people promoting mafia |
Jammu,October 13 (Scoop News)- Adv. Chander Mohan Sharma, Senior BJP leader and Incharge Namami Gange Projects (J&K UT) demanded lifting of ban on extraction of minor minerals from river bed of Tawi in Jammu region.
Adv. Chander Mohan Sharma accompanied by BJP J&K Media Incharge Dr. Pardeep Mahotra, Department Co-Incharges Surinder Sharma and Balwinder Singh, Policy & Research Department Co-Incharge Dr. Makson Tickoo at BJP headquarter Trikuta Nagar, Jammu.
Sharma said that Tawi River is the only source of availability of minor minerals for construction activities but blanket ban on extraction of these from the river has resulted into crushing of boulders and rocks by JCBs in the hilly areas of the region resulting into shaking and weakening of hillocks making these more prone to land erosions and sliding thus putting the human lives into danger.
The onus of mineral extraction in a scientific, regulated and ecological manner lies on the Mining department and the certain pockets of environmental importance and pillars/base areas of vital infrastructure like bridges of Tawi and other are to be protected and extractions in the rest of river beds are to be carried in a regulated manner. The Government should therefore, pursue the case before the Hon’ble High Court in a proper and vigorous manner to convince the court by clearing the facts and fears. The issue should not be left to a routine and lethargy approach as the blanket ban is highly detrimental to the river ecosystem, development work, employment and public interest. The concerned departments are taking shelter of some court order without striving for a legal solution for the benefit of poor people.
Sharma who is also President of Tawi Andolan and connected with other green initiatives said that River Tawi passes through many densely populated townships and villages located on its banks. Overflowing of water in the rainy season often causes damage to the property, live-stocks and crops. Only safety is desilting of rivers by means of mining etc which is not allowed. This was only a natural process with the hilly rivers and rivulets.
The worst example of damage to agriculture was that thousands of kanals of A-class fertile land had been rendered non-cultivable after heavy floods of the year 2014 as thick layer sand had spread into the fields and there was no remedy to get the farms free of sand.
Another dark side of this blanket ban on mining is the loot underhand by a nexus of the police and mining department. The sand, bajari and gravel are being sold at very exorbitant prices in black market. Thousands of Trucks and tracker trolleys loaded with minor minerals are being extracted in an unregulated way from the areas that are not earmarked for the extraction. General public is suffering and their hardship for procuring minor minerals at reasonable rates for the normal construction and renovation purpose of their homes and hearths are being subjected to the whims and caprices of black marketing mafia.
Sharma further said that as a result of the sustained campaign of Namami Gange mission there is noticeable awakening among the masses toward protection and maintenance of all water bodies.
In the recent tour undertaken by me and Dr DK Manyal Former Minister, Rajeev Sharma MLA Co-Incharge, Surinder Sharma Corporator, Bhalwinder Singh Bhatia, Purushotam Bava, Satish Sharma and Bharat Bhushan Gupta and Veena Gurtu at different water bodies, cleanliness drive at 71 different water bodies were part of all All India programme to celebrate seventeenth birthday of our worthy Prime Minister Sh. Narinder Modi.
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