Illegal extraction in Brengi and Sandran Nallahs, farmers bear the brunt

Illegal extraction in Brengi and Sandran Nallahs, farmers bear the brunt

Anantnag: Already grappling with a shortfall in rain this year, farmers in some areas of Sub-Division Dooru, here in Anantnag district, rue that illegal extraction using heavy machinery in Brengi and Sandran Nallahs has left their farmland all the more dry.
The extraction of sand and boulders at different places in the two Nallahs has allegedly been going on round-the-clock with the district administration choosing to look the other way.
As per local sources, the extraction, using JCBs and tippers, has been going on near Sadoora Bridge, Laalan Bridge, places in between the two bridges, Schiczan and Zadoora areas.
“Earlier, these people were carrying out illegal extraction during the night hours and the officials had the excuse that it was not safe for them to move around during night,” the local sources said. “However, the extraction now is going on in broad day light and no one is even trying to stop these people.”
The local farmers Kashmir Reader talked to said that hundreds of kanals of farmland and dozens of apple orchards are completely dependent for irrigation on these two Nallahs.
“The use of JCBs is further increasing the depth of the Nallahs, which hinders the flow of water to farmland and orchards,” a farmer, Mushtaq Ahmad, told Kashmir Reader. He said that this malpractice has been going on for years.
“Earlier, we somehow managed with the rain which used to keep our farmland irrigated to some extent. This year, even the rains have been scarce and we are staring at a bleak year,” another farmer, Ghulam Rasool Bhat, told Kashmir Reader.
The farmers and orchardists are a worried lot and feel the production on their land will be lowest in decades this year.
They alleged that government officials were hand in glove with these violators and let go of them for their own petty interests. “It is not possible otherwise for such a violation to go unnoticed,” the locals alleged.
Kashmir Reader talked to Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Dooru GR Wani, who said that most of these sites were auctioned online this year. “These sites are monitored by the Geology and Mining department as well as the Fisheries department,” he said.
District Manager, Geology and Mining department, Muhammad Yaseen Bhat said that he was actively looking into this issue and had taken punitive action against many violators during the last three weeks.
“I have been here for the last 3 weeks only and some 25 violators have been fined already,” Bhat said. He noted down the places mentioned by this reporter and said that he will definitely take appropriate action.
Asked about the allegations that some employees of his department were letting these violators go for their own interests, Bhat said that action will be taken if anyone is found guilty of such a thing.

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