Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 18: Stone Crusher Owners Association (SCOA) has expressed their complete satisfaction over the decision of the Government to cancel 58 blocks of river Jhelum that were allotted to outside Jammu and Kashmir companies after they failed to get Environmental Clearance (EC) and these blocks will now be opened for traditional mining by locals.
While addressing a press conference, Ch. Vikram Randhawa, president of SCOA expressing satisfaction over the decision of the Government to cancel the allotment of 58 blocks in Kashmir Valley which were e-auctioned to outsiders who failed to obtain Environmental Clearance and allotment of the same to locals.
While interacting with the media persons Randhawa urged upon the Government to cancel all e-auctioned blocks in Jammu region also, wherein, these outsider companies have failed to submit requisite documents. He said all these blocks should be given to the locals who too are capable enough to pay revenue to the Government. He further said that the Government must think over giving these small blocks to the local stone crusher unit holders in their vicinity, who have first right on this raw material, and are capable enough to pay the revenue to the Government.
Randhawa said that the outsiders are harassing the local stone crusher unit holders and the public by charging hefty royalty on raw material as well as on the finished goods.
He also urged upon the administration to pursue the PIL that has banned mining from river Tawi and get the ban vacated so that the blocks of river Tawi can be auctioned. He said that those who have filed PIL have nothing to do with river Tawi as they have just filed it for vested interests. “Lifting of ban from river Tawi would earn revenue to the administration and also would stop theft of grey gold by the mining mafia”, Randhawa added.
Others who were present in the press conference included Vijay Sharma, Sumeshwar Sharma, Sunil Bharti, Manjeet Saini, Parveendev Singh, Chain Singh and Susheel Choudhary.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
