shopian: Officials failed to retrieve illegally excavated minerals of Shopian Nala as people stopped them from carrying out their duties at Ayend Rawalpora village in the district.
An officer from district administration said that around 150 trucks of minerals including sand, gravel and boulders were excavated from the Nala earlier and arrests were also made to prevent plundering of the rivulet.
He said that when the accused were released, a team of officials including assistant commissioner revenue Shopian, executive engineer roads and buildings department, and district geology and mining officer visited the spot to retrieve the illegally excavated minerals. But people did stopped from retrieving the material.
Assistant commissioner revenue Shopian, Shahbaz Ahmad Bodha told Kashmir Reader that they have filed a report to deputy commissioner about the issue and are waiting for further orders from him.
Illegal excavation of minerals from Shopian is on rise amid government imposed lockdown to prevent spread of coronavirus. According to locals the tractors, tippers and bulldozers are being employed to plunder rivulet during day as well as night.
A local from Voterpora village said that the noise of these tractors didn’t let them to sleep in night.