Pampore: District Mineral Officer (DMO) Pulwama Er Mohammad Manzoor has seized 15 vehicles used in illegal mining and transportation of raw materials from different areas of Pampore and Pulwama districts on Saturday.
A team of officials from the Geology and Mining Department Pulwama laid a crackdown at various locations in Pampore and Pulwama areas and seized 15 vehicles including dumpers, tippers and tractors for illegal mining and transporting illegally, officials told Kashmir Reader.
Earlier, the Geology and Mining Department Pulwama dismantled the path used by the mining mafia at many places in the district and warned vehicle owners of heavy penalties for illegal mining.
DMO Pulwama told Kashmir Reader that he along with his team conducted surprise raids in several areas of district Pulwama including Khrew, Pampore, Kakapora and Newa to check illegal mining, extraction and transportation of raw materials.
During the raids, 15 vehicles used in illegal mining, and transportation of raw materials illegally extracted were seized.
The DMO Pulwama informed that the seized vehicles were handed over to the concerned police stations after completing the legal formalities as per the rules of the department. The seized vehicles shall be released only after paying the penalty.
He said that all the illegal mining cases would be dealt with under the rules and all the things against the violators would be done by a FastTrack system.
The operation against the illegal mining and transporting is going on in different areas of the Pulwama district.
The departmental team again asked drivers to purchase minerals from legal sources only and stay away from illegal mining practices.

BILAL HABIB