Illegal sand extraction going on unabated in Soiteng

Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, July 12: Despite bringing the issue to the notice of the concerned authorities, the illegal sand extraction near the Soiteng area of Srinagar is going on unabated.
The residents of the area said that the illegal sand extraction from the river Jhelum is putting the residents of the area at risk as the river embankments are getting weaker day by day and there are all the chances that the increase in the water level of the river will prove disastrous.
In this regard, the concerned residents staged a protest against the authorities for their failure to act against the ‘mafia’ carrying out the extraction of sand from Jhelum.
“There is a threat of river embankments getting weaker which can cause floods, the various houses have already developed cracks and on top of it the authorities are in deep slumber,” the residents said.
Another resident, Shabir-ul-Haque said that it is an illegal sand mafia that is behind it and there are also several senior people of the area involved, who are letting these ‘mafias’ work without any hurdle.