Field channel construction at Looswani triggers illegal mining

Locals demand action against contractor for reviving illegal mining Ops
Pulwama, Feb 19 :Construction of a drain at Doorikhah area in Looswani village of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district has triggered a fresh cycle of illegal mining from Romeshi rivulet. Locals from Wahibugh and adjoining villages said that a contractor from Keller block of Shopian has been working on a field channel in the Dorikhah area of Looswani village under the Command Area Development Programme for the past couple of weeks.
The villagers said that the boulders have been illegally mined from Romeshi at Wahibugh and adjoining villages in connivance with the local mining mafia.
The villagers said that around 200 truckloads of boulders were unlawfully mined from Romeshi and used in the construction of the field channel without paying any royalty or seeking permission from the competent authorities.
They expressed concern over the severe damage inflicted on the rivulet’s ecosystem.
The residents have demanded strict action against the contractor to deter such practices in the future.
District Mineral Officer, Geology and Mining Pulwama, Er Mohammad Manzoor acknowledged that their office has not given permission for mining of boulders from Romeshi at Wahibugh and adjoining areas.
He said that they have acted against some suppliers who were illegally providing materials to the contractor. “We seized some tractors,” he said.
However, the officer didn’t assure any legal action against the contractor.
Paramjeet Singh, Assistant Soil Conservation Officer, who heads Command Area Development Subdivision Pulwama, said, “In case there are complaints of using materials sourced from illegal mining we go into depth of the complaint and resolve it accordingly.”