Kathua, August 17:
Chairman of Sparsh India Foundation, Manuj Kesar, while expressing his opposition to the ongoing illegal mining in Kathua.
He said that illegal mining is continuing unabated in the rivers and ravines in Kathua. All these illegal activities are done by mining mafias, who have full support of mining as well as police, due to which illegal mining work is done in broad daylight. It is free for all in the unrestricted Basantpur area. Every day, hundreds of overloaded trucks of minerals are being sent from Kathua to Punjab via Lakhanpur and Kidiya. Miners use trucks and tippers to transport sand and gravel without any fear. Hundreds of truckloads of minerals are being sent to Punjab without royalty payment receipts. But the mining department and police are not imposing any stop. Manuj Kesar has demanded from the Director Mining Department and DGP Police Department that illegal mining should be stopped soon. So that the ravines and rivers can be protected from the mining mafia.
