What type of surveillance is this?

 

We very often use ”eagle eyed surveillance” , ”round the clock surveillance” and the like when it means un-faltered and absolute watch and ward and never for any name sake but in case of the menace of illegal mining in Jammu and Kashmir, we find a surveillance to prevent it being just on papers and not anything beyond. Those of the lessees indulging in mining who have professionalised in outsmarting the existing system continue to ”carry on” without having any regard for the terms and conditions imposed for such mining by the Environment Impact Assessment Authority (EIAA) . Geology and Mining Department in this respect cannot absolve itself of ensuring that violations did not take place and mining was confined to the allotted blocks only and within all norms. Whether it be levels to which digging is permitted, what should be the levels of production, which type of heavy machinery is to be ploughed, how bank erosion could be prevented, what replenishing measures were needed to be taken , how environment and eco concerns could be taken care of and other concerns are perhaps no one’s concerns. Where , therefore, the much needed surveillance exists as it is the duty of the field staff of the department concerned but which is reported to be quite insufficient in number to respond to any information received from any citizen or whistle blower. Like this, even the directions of the High Court too are not complied with scrupulously which has time and again issued directions for increasing the levels of the vigil around the mining blocks and elsewhere in the concerned mining areas. Is any possibility of some personnel from the field staff too conniving with such lessees carrying on mining in an illegal manner, needs to be seen. However, corrective measures must be taken on fast track basis looking to the eco and environmental concerns involve