Sand Storm

Administration in the recent past has failed to control sand mafia in entire Kashmir valley especially in Ganderbal and Pulwama districts from playing with nature by extracting sand without adhering to any set norms of the government.

Authorities have been only trying to blame the situation by not doing their duties on the ground. Police and other wings of the government responsible for controlling such wonton loot of nature have failed so far to preserve rivers water bodies and nallah’s in the villages from such extractions.

Recently report said that the government has decided to give royalty of sand in river Jhelum to some outside contractors resulting in outreach against such intentions of the government by the locals especially by those poor families who have been extracting sand from river Jhelum for years together.

Some contractors according to media reports recently told these local sand extractors that they cannot go for extractions without paying to them for each extraction while as department of geology and mining has said that they have not yet given tenders to any contractor.

These sand diggers told media recently that geology and mining department is only telling media that no such contractors are for the collection of royalty while as they are being forced to pay to these contractors on ground.

  The sand diggers from Samboora, Kanahbal and Behibagh areas of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district told media recently that contractors demand royalty from them, though Department of Geology and Mining has not invited tenders yet.

In such a situation, it is the responsibility of the government especially officials on the ground to check such complaints to save these poor diggers from the alleged exploitation. MK NEWS DESK