KATHUA | Apr 27, 2015:Under the nose of Jammu and Kashmir Government, Punjab is rampantly plundering the State’s resources, causing serious damage to the environment, creating pollution, lowering water level, flouting restrictions and causing risk to the bridges.
According to sources more than three dozen stone crushers of the neighboring State are quarrying thousand tons of building material from Ravi River bed falling in the area of district Kathua. Chander Parkash Ganga the Minister of Industries and Commerce during his earlier visit on 10th March, 2015 who was explained the situation, had categorically said that there would be no quarry contracts after 31st March, but contrary to the statement the situation has worsened.
The citizens and nature lovers are miffed over the stand of the government as it has turned a Nelson’s eye despite knowing the foremost and destructive consequences in near future.
National conference distt.
President Dhain Chand said that a decade back it was impossible for people to cross over the river due to strong water current but presently the site gives a depressing thought as there are more than thirty stone crushers creating hazardous air and water pollution adding that the deafening noise of stone crushers, loading and unloading of dumpers by earth movers in river has made the life hell for the people here.
“Following strong concern raised by some organizations of Kathua, the district administration had clamped section 144-CRPC restriction in one kilometer upstream and one kilometers downstream area of bridge connecting Jammu and Kashmir with Punjab, but these restrictions are totally ignored” he added.
Alleging the attitude of the government towards preserving nature, Manohar Singh said that illegal quarrying is going on unabated since eight years. Congress leader Naresh Sharma said that the river, having presence in historical books is fast dying and would soon become an extinct. He said that Punjab crusher owners were not only indulging in illegal extraction, but also violating all the norms brazenly. “As per environment protection law the river-bed cannot be dug more than 6-8 feet deep but in River Ravi the crusher owners have been digging it to more than 30-40 feet deep” he said, while alleging that the illegal activity was going on because of strong nexus between the state government authorities and crusher mafia of Punjab.
Ashwani Sharma a non-government organization working for environment said, “Despite constant protest by the environmental watchdogs against the illegal quarrying, the district administration has not even done the demarcation of River”, adding that it also corroborates the fact that Punjab crusher owners have strong links in J and K government.
President of Sarv Dharm Sewa Samiti, Robin Sharma said, “Flowing water is not seen anywhere and the water is present only in more than 30-40 feet deep pits created after the extraction of building material by the dozens of earth movers of crusher operators, he said in a depressing voice
District BJP committee vice president Prem Nath Dogra said that the steps taken by administration and department of mining are not sufficient to curb the menace. Presently the district administration has imposed 144-crpc whereas district officer of Mining Department Bodh Raj said that the department, has fixed the mining time from 9 am to 3 pm and one crusher can use one excavator.
(Source: http://news.statetimes.in/)