Excelsior Correspondent
PULWAMA, July 26: Endangering the eco-system and in violation of the mining laws, Government has permitted extraction of boulders from Rambi Ara stream at Lassipora in Pulwama district.
The district administration has also allowed people to set up at least six stone crushers along the bank of the stream. The stream flows directly into river Jehlum at Sangam in South Kashmir, thus blocking the water flow into the river besides affecting directly the freshwater fish crop.
The concerned Departments responsible for issuing no-objection certificates (NOC) to these stone crushers shift the blame on each other.
The Geology and Mining Department has given out the whole stream to a contractor for extracting boulders at royalty of Rs 6, 25,500.
An official of Geology and Mining Department said that an empowered committee comprising District Development Commissioner, Pollution Control Board, and District Industries and Commerce (DIC) officials issued NOC to the contractors and crusher owners without informing the department.
“The NOCs are issued under a single-window system to the people by the empowered committee. But, we are not called into the meeting,” he said, wishing anonymity.
The official said that under rules, boulders, if necessary, can be extracted from a stream upto only 3 feet to make water flow smooth. Besides, he said that the boulders extraction is to be carried out manually, and not mechanically. “Earth movers are not permitted to extract boulders from any water body,” he said.
District Pollution Officer, Fayaz Ahmad, said that no stone crusher operating on the banks of the river have “valid consent” from them.
An earth mover owner said that they have been extracting boulders from the river without any official hindrance. “We pay royalty to the contractor. Also we pay money to the Fisheries Department on monthly basis to extract boulders,” he said, wishing not to be named.
Assistant Director Fisheries, Pulwama, Ghulam Mohi ud din said that they collect money from the extractors as “compensation for violations”.
Mohi ud din admitted that they cannot allow the boulder extraction from any water body. Asked about the rampant extraction going on, he said, “we have to be liberal because of the imperatives of the development.”
DIC General Manager, Pulwama, Aijaz Ahmad Bhat, said that they have nothing to do with issuing NOCs to the stone crushers and extractors. “It is the subject if Geology and Mining Department,” Bhat added.
District Development Commissioner Manzoor Ahmad Lone said that he has no knowledge about the boulder extraction stone crushers at Lassipora as he took over the administration two months ago. “I have not received any complaint regarding the extraction. I will have the entire process looked into,” DDC said.
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