Bhalla urges LG Sinha to address mining issues on priority

Shortage of key construction material put developmental activities to a grinding halt

Jammu: Terming the order by Mining department to fix rates of sand and gravel from river beds as mere eye wash, JKPCC Vice President and former Minister Raman Bhalla on Thursday claimed that owners and workers of JCB, dumper, tipper, tractor, trolley continue to suffer restrictions imposed on lifting of sand and gravel from river beds and urged upon the government to review its order on ban of mining so as to save the them owners from starvation. This was observed by former Minister after meeting aggrieved people from different areas of Gandhi Nagar constituency who are facing extreme hardships in constructing/repairing and renovating their houses in wake of shortage and costly construction materials.He said that on one hand the government asked to start development works in each block but on the other hand imposed a ban on mining. He said due to ban of mining, Panchayat members despite availability of funds failed to start any new development works as there is shortage of Bajri, sand and other material.He said that the ban on extraction and lifting of raw material including stones, sand, gravel and aggregate has not only created acute shortage of key construction material but has also put the developmental activities to a grinding halt. After scooting for nearly three years, the District Administration, Jammu finally notified the maximum rates for minor minerals – Sand, Bajri, Gravels, etc to charged henceforth within Jammu district.True to its character of waking up late, the government remained a mute spectator to hue and cries for black marketing of these basic construction materials that only nature can provide.The rates for each trolley of Sand, Bajri, and Gravels were shot up eight to ten times and the material became so scarce that people have to shelve their plans of constructing houses and needed repairs or renovations. A very large number of developmental and government construction works got stuck up for want of these materials used mostly in civil work.Govt should constitute enforcement committees at Tehsil level to monitor and attend to the complaints of overcharging. The enforcement committees must be headed by the respective Tehsildar for the purpose and included the SHO in charge of the concerned Police station, Officials of Forest, Flood Control, and Geology and Mining.Bhalla asked LG Administration  to resolve the mining issue as soon as possible to give a sigh of relief to people facing hardships due to non-availability of construction material.He asked Administration to address mining  issues on priority as the people have become fed-up with the blanket ban on construction material and those who are somehow getting the same are paying four to five times more than the actual rates.  There is dire need to check this malpractice and ensure that the construction material reaches at the construction site on the rates fixed by the Government and not on whims and fancies of