Locals stage protest against illegal mining in Jammu
Aman Zutshi
Jammu: Several locals in Samba district of Jammu on Saturday staged a protest against illegal mining in their local river. The locals appealed the district authorities for help in this matter.
They protestors shouted slogans against the mining mafia and requested local govt to intervene in this matter.
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“The motive of this agitation is against the mining mafia who shows hooliganism to local people every now and then.
“We called us and they have informed us that they will block road and highway the way they’re being pestered by goons.
“We will not tolerate such conduct with our people by the outsiders. These people should work as per legal mining tenders but they are doing its opposite because they come in the night to do mining and when locals oppose them the private goons try to attack them.
“I appeal to District Mining Department and local police to pay attention towards this issue because the mining mafia is doing illicit mining brazenly we can’t imagine the terror the goons will unleash when will attain legal tenders for mining.
“The local residents have the first right on the resources of their land. The govt has imposed section 144 here and still the mining is being done.
“We request local regime to put a halt on goons who come in the night for mining here.
“The govt should take a strict action on this illegitimate mining immediately. We will also meet the concerned departments soon”, one of the protestors said addressing media.
