Diplomat Correspondent
Jammu, (DD): The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Monday witnessed a heated debate over illegal mining, with BJP MLA R.S. Pathania strongly criticizing the government’s handling of the issue. He accused officials of failing to curb the rampant extraction of minerals, which he said was causing severe environmental and economic damage.
Raising the matter in the House, Pathania alleged that a powerful nexus of contractors, bureaucrats, and certain political figures was shielding those engaged in illegal mining. He demanded a high-level inquiry and stricter regulations to prevent further exploitation of J&K’s mineral wealth.
“The unchecked illegal mining is leading to severe environmental degradation, depletion of our natural resources, and loss of revenue to the government. It is also affecting the livelihood of locals who depend on legal mining operations. The government must take strict action against those responsible,” Pathania said.
In response, the Minister in charge of the Mining Department assured the Assembly that the government was actively addressing the issue. He informed the House that multiple raids had been conducted, machinery had been seized, and heavy penalties had been imposed on violators. However, he acknowledged that stronger enforcement was needed.
Despite these assurances, opposition members, including National Conference MLA Ali Mohammad Dar and Congress MLA Ghulam Ahmad Mir, expressed dissatisfaction, questioning why illegal mining continued despite past crackdowns. They accused the administration of turning a blind eye to the problem and demanded an independent probe.
The debate led to disruptions in the House, with several legislators raising their voices and pressing for immediate government action. Speaker Abdur Rahim Rather had to intervene multiple times to restore order before allowing the discussion to continue.
Illegal mining has been a longstanding concern in J&K, with reports of unauthorized extraction damaging riverbanks, water bodies, and local ecosystems. With MLAs across party lines voicing their frustration, the pressure on the government to take decisive action has intensified.(DD)