Unstoppable extraction of minor minerals -sand, gravel, and boulder from river Tawi is a huge scandal which not only puts integrity of bigwigs at stake but also pushed LG’s administration claims of zero-tolerance against corruption on ‘AgniPariksha’.
This is an extraordinary situation and citizens are in a quandary over discreet silence of Raj Bhawan on first major scandal surfaced in newly born J&K Union Territory.
For years, the unlawful operation of minerals mining begins at midnight and continues till early morning. In the past couple of years, it assumed an alarming proportion and become a gold mine for those who enjoy proximity with influential politicians, police, and bureaucrats. This is not a normal business managed by chindi-chor whose tractor trollies showcases as part of a stage-managed crackdown by enforcement agencies. Smuggling of minor minerals pegged at around one thousand crores. Firmly, it’s managed by Mafia in facilitation with ‘Big Boss’.
The LG-led administration needs to seriously take note of revelations made by a former lawmaker of Bhartiya Janta Party as it indicates that all is not well in the Geology and Mining Department, Jammu, where officers allegedly in connivance with some police officers and administration earns crores by allowing sand mafia to plunder minerals from river Tawi at free will. There are allegations that illegal mining in river Tawi assumed alarming proportion since 2019 and surpasses all previous records. In these circumstances, assigning the task of an inquiry to a newly appointed suave Director Geology and Mining, Jammu would yield nothing.
Uninterrupted supply of construction materials for all major and minor government projects besides boom in construction activities everywhere in Jammu city and its periphery despite a blanket ban on mining in river Tawi raised a question mark on working of Geology and Mining Department officers who remained posted in Jammu for the last two years. In addition, the role of DMO who remained posted in Jammu, Akhnoor, Samba, and Kathua is questionable and Govt must order a secret inquiry into their assets. Even, many-fold increase in rates of sand, gravel, and stone post-J&K High Court ban also substantiates allegations of BJP ex legislator regarding Naka Vasooli as part of Saab ka Saath, sab ka Vikaas. Achha hai. There are reports that even some media fellow who earns mastery in PR and claim self-styled custodians of Journalism in Jammu also used to get their pound of flesh from mining loot.
This is a multi-crore scandal involving mighty sand mafia, stone crushers owners, politicians, police, and civil officers, and only CBI probe can unmask those responsible for causing willful loss to state exchequer worth several crores. Everything else means a covert operation to broom a massive corruption scandal under the carpet.