Diplomat Correspondent
Jammu,(DD) The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly witnessed intense discussions on Monday as multiple Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) raised concerns over the escalating issue of illegal mining in the Union Territory.
MLA Mehraj Malik of the Aam Aadmi Party highlighted alleged irregularities in mining royalties, describing them as a “scam” and calling for a thorough investigation.
Waheed Para of the People’s Democratic Party criticized post-2019 developments, alleging that local resources, including land and minerals, have been indiscriminately exploited.
Awami Ittehad Party’s Khursheed Ahmad Sheikh advocated for halting heavy fines on locals involved in manual excavation and called for a ban on mechanical extraction methods.
Ghulam Ahmad Mir, representing Dooru and serving as the Congress Legislature Party leader, expressed concerns about external entities engaging in illegal mining, leading to increased mineral costs for residents and the depletion of local mineral wealth.
Ali Mohammad Dar of the National Conference urged expedited construction of infrastructure projects and proposed setting a minimum wage of Rs 500 per day.
Ghulam Mohiuddin Mir from Rajpora highlighted the proliferation of mining mafias, emphasizing the threat posed to water bodies in his constituency due to unchecked mining activities.
Surjeet Singh Slathia, MLA from Samba, called for upskilling youth to meet market demands and raised concerns about the financial health of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) in the region.
Chander Prakash Ganga addressed land encroachments related to industrial estates and emphasized prioritizing local youth in industrial allocations.
National Conference MLAs threatened to protest against his own government if the allocation of mining sites and industrial units to outsiders continued.
Independent MLA Muzaffar Khan questioned the quality of rural road constructions, noting that many deteriorate before completion, and criticized contractors for neglecting agreed-upon repairs.
The Deputy Chief Minister, Surinder Choudhary, informed the Assembly about recent actions against unauthorized mining, including an Rs 80 lakh fine imposed on a private firm in Budgam district.
Additionally, MLA R.S. Pathania raised questions regarding illegal mining during the Budget Session, emphasizing the need for stringent measures to address the issue.
The Assembly’s deliberations underscore the growing concern among legislators about illegal mining’s environmental impact and economic implications for local communities.(DD)
