Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, Feb 14: Over Rs eight lakh penalty was imposed on one excavator and four vehicles by District Mineral Officer for unauthorized mining and massive digging in Ujh river today.
On receiving complaint of illegal mining in Ujh river, District Mineral Officer (DMO), Kathua along with officials of Revenue Department and police rushed to the spot and immediately seized whole machinery involved in illegal mining.
Meanwhile, whole dug out area was measured by the officials of Mining Department and accordingly penalty was imposed as per the MM(DR) Act of 1957 and SRO-105 of 2016.
DMO Kathua informed that the material was excavated from private land of local inhabitant by crusher owner after making some type of deal with him and dumped in the premises of crusher unit for processing and further making its sale in Punjab area.
DMO further informed that there are four mineral leases in the Ujh river for supplying material at fixed rates but instead of purchasing material from the lease, the violators lift mineral from unidentified locations where mining is strictly banned or prohibited.
He said the action has been initiated under overall supervision of Deputy Commissioner Kathua, Dr. Rakesh Minhas.
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