Pulwama, Mar 02: Authorities in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district have vowed not to allow sand diggers to cause damage to Jhelum embankments and structures within interior regions of the water body.
The authorities of the Geology and Mining Department informed Rising Kashmir that they permit customary sand diggers to extract sand from river Jhelum manually. The permission is granted after authentication from revenue authorities, they said.
“These people have been dependent on sand digging from past many generations and they derive their living from the activity. This also ensures the availability of raw materials for construction purposes,” they said, adding that manual extraction does not cause damage to embankments.
District Mineral Officer, Geology and Mining Pulwama, Er Mohammad Manzoor said sand diggers who were extracting sand from Jhelum at Letterbal area of Pampore were having permission under customary rights.
“But, they were not extracting sand on scientific lines,” he said, adding that they were damaging a river island at the particular spot which is not allowed under customary rights.
The officer said that a joint raid was carried out at the spot and several boats and equipment were confiscated. Prohibitory orders for the extraction of sand were issued at the vulnerable spot.
“We will not allow sand diggers to cause damage to river embankments at this site or any other place within their jurisdiction,” Er Manzoor said, adding that they have been conducting raids to discourage unscientific mining and check illegal extraction.
The officer further informed that they disconnected the approach pathways to Jhelum in the Patalbagh area to save river embankments from damage.
Two mechanical boats were seized in the Barsoo area of Pulwama for unauthorised extraction of sand, he said, adding that a fine of Rs 50,000 was levied on the owner of one boat while another boat is under their custody.
“We have realised a big amount as fine in the past five months,” the officer said.
