Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 20: The mining contractors of Kathua district have criticized the State Government for maintaining a stoic silence over Ravi river mining scandal and demanded a CBI probe into the matter.
Alleging a nexus between mafia and Mining Department they said State exchequer has suffered losses of several crore due to the same.
While addressing the media person the district Kathua Mining contractors, Kamal Deep Singh , Sartaj Singh, Gurmeet Singh , Balbir Singh and Raja gave details about the nexus operating in Ravi river mining and how the Mining Department was hand in glove into the scandal and put the State exchequer to loss of several crore in last six months from July 2017 to January 2018 . Kamal Singh said that the Department has not deposited any revenue of royalty collected during the last six months against the mining in Ravi river. The department has collected huge amount of revenue with the help of Mining contractor Mohan Paul Singh Pannu .
He said that the mining process was continuing during the period of July 17 to Jan 18 and on 6th Feb the Flood Control Department Kathua issued notice to 34 stone crusher operating in the Ravi river to stop extraction from Ravi basin as they have no valid document and permission for it.
He said that during the financial year of 206-17 the Mining Department has collected revenue of Rs 21 crore against the mining and in the year 2017 till January 2018 only Rs 3.30 crore of revenue was deposited in the Government treasury. No GR was issued during the period of July 17 to January 2018.
He added that it is surprising to say that Punjab Government is interested to investigate the matter and also issued order to verify the revenue receipt issued by Lease and District Mining Department Kathua .But J&K State Government facing the revenue loss is mum on the whole issue.
Kamal Singh demanded CBI inquiry into the matter so that the people involved in the scam get punished.
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