Urges Govt to hold probe against mining mafia in Samba Jammu,01- Dec: Apni Party, Provincial President, Jammu, Manjit Singh today demanded a probe into the mining of minerals resulting in gradual depletion of ground water level in Samba District.Speaking at a monthly meeting of Party workers at Vijaypur, Manjit Singh said that the authorities are acting as silent spectators to the dangerous situation which is emerging due to uncontrolled mining of minerals.“The mining mafia is working without restrictions and they seem to have been given free hands by the authorities concerned. There is no check on their mining activities and they are extracting minerals beyond the sanctioned ratio from the rivers,” he said.He said that the Govt must look into the situation which has become a cause of concern for the farmers in Samba District. “The ground water level has dropped and there is no action against the illegal activities of the mining mafia,” he said, and demanded that the police department should immediately act against such elements to save the groundwater level and minerals.Referring to the improper compensation being offered to the farmers, he said that the farmers are the worst sufferers.“They lost their crops in the hail storm, but pinned their hopes on the Govt. As there is no elected Govt, the authorities offered a compensation which is completely unacceptable and does not match with the loss farmers have suffered in the hail storm. Therefore, it is an utter failure of the department to sanction the actual cost of damage as compensation to the farmers,” he said.Instead of providing them adequate compensation, he said, a mockery of Govt mechanism is made which is highly condemnable because of the insensitive attitude of the authorities.Meanwhile, he also expressed his concern over the growing drug menace as many youth got involved in the addiction. “The police should take appropriate action against the drug suppliers and book them under relevant laws to put a curb on the activity,” he added.He said that the youth are the future of the nation but the drug addiction has destroyed families because of loss of lives of many youth.(CNS)
