Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Nov 27: Illegal sand mining is going on unabated and rampantly along river Jhelum in north Kashmir’s Sopore at various spots particularly at Vijibal Dobgaw area even as the authorities have failed to take any concrete action so far.
The locals said that the violations are rampant even as due to the illegal sand mining they are now facing the threat of their residential houses getting damaged while adding that the excessive mining has already damaged the embankments along the Jhelum and has put the entire area at risk.
“The mining is going on in the area along Jhelum even during the night while as the authorities have failed to act against such elements so that the illegal mining is brought to an immediate halt and the violators are punished sternly,” a resident whose house is facing the danger said, adding that more than 20 households are facing threat due to sand mining.
The residents said that the illegal mining is not confined to the Vijibal Dobgaw area but the same is going on in various areas while the administration has so far failed in taking any concrete action aiming at halting the violations.
Earlier, it is to be noted here that the district administration Baramulla had formed a task force to act on such violators and keep a check on illegal mining going in the district along the Jhelum.
The officials in the district told Excelsior that an FIR has already been registered against the illegal sand miners at the Vijibal Dobgaw Sopore after the issue of damage to the embankment was reported to the administration. “The team that has been constituted has been active and wherever the violations are reported, due action is being taken accordingly,” an official said.
However, the official claims are refuted by the locals who believe that such actions are not having any impact on the ground as the illegal sand mining continues particularly during the night hours.
“There are illegal mine mafias that are operating in the district who need to be acted upon so that the violations in the name of sand mining on in the district are halted,” the locals said while seeking stern action from the administration.
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