SHOPIAN: The District Magistrate (DM), Shopian, Sachin Kumar Vaishya today chaired a meeting to devise a strategy for effective enforcement of measures to check the menace of illegal extraction of minerals in the district.
The meeting discussed various preventive measures to control and curb the illegal extraction of minerals including sand and bajri from nallahs across the district.
On the occasion, DM said that in view of complaints being received by the Administration against illegal material extraction in the district, the Administration is going to act tough against the violators.
He directed the concerned officers to ensure that no illegal mineral extraction activities are carried out in the district and stressed for Zero tolerance and said that coordinated efforts are required to curb the menace of illegal extraction of minerals in the district.
The DM gave directions to Police and other concerned departments to give full cooperation and support to the Geology and Mining department in controlling illegal extraction of minerals from nallahs and stressed for inter-departmental coordination to curb this menace forever.
He said that field work by all stakeholders is necessary to make preventive measures much more successful.
He also said that the developmental works should not suffer and in this regard the extraction of legal mining shall be allowed after proper permission from the authorities.
The DM stressed for proper checking at all vulnerable sites to curb and stop the illegal mining.
He directed SDM, Zainapora to monitor and ensure that no illegal extraction takes place anywhere and that the concerned Tehsidars, Police and other concerned officers are informed well before the legal extraction of mining.
He added that the need of the hour is to monitor the process strictly and bring the violators under book to stop the illegal mining.
The department of Geology and Mining was directed to ensure cent percent control over illegal extraction of minerals from the nallahs as the DMO is regulating authority and the whole responsibility lies upon him.
SDM, Zainapora, Tehsildars and District Mineral Officer besides other concerned Officers were present in the meeting.

KR Desk