Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 23: On the directives of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), J&K Pollution Control Board conducted public hearing with regard to allowing issuance of clearance certificates to the contractors for launch of extraction of minor mineral from rivers and Nallahs legally after getting green signal from Environment Assessment Committee in district Kathua.
Deputy Commissioner Kathua, OP Bhagat chaired the meeting while all the other concerned officers including Regional Director JKPCB Dr Nadeem Hussain, ACR, DMO Kathua Dr Davinder Singh, concerned DDC/ BDC members, Sapanchs and general public of the concerned area also attended the meeting at Nagri, Jogian, Tajwal for Ujh river/ parts of Ravi and nearby Nallahs for opening river blocks after long ban. Some privates land/ blocks were also granted green nod.
The public representatives highlighted the issue of shortage of construction material due to which they said that all the construction activities has become stand still besides the rates of the construction material increased in many fold and black marketing of the material is in full swing due to lack of legal source of raw material. Speaking on this occasion they stressed and requested the Committee to issue the order for execution of these blocks to mitigate the ongoing crisis of shortage of raw material. They requested the Govt to fastrack the process for grant of mining leases and their operation so that the general public get rid this crisis.
Speaking on the occasion the Deputy Commissioner, OP Bhagat assured the public that the Govt is very keen to mitigate the crisis of shortage of building material and the District Administration is trying its best to kick start the operation in these blocks legally after clearing all the mandatory aspects which were being over looked in the past. He said that these block when become operational will meet the demand of construction material due to which all the Govt projects has become stand still besides the dream of a common man to construct a house will also be fulfilled. The scientists created awareness on the occasion and educated public over extraction of minor mineral through scientific ways, containing air, water, noise pollution.
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