In a strong crackdown on illegal mining, Kathua’s District Mineral Officer, Rajinder Singh, has imposed a hefty penalty of over 5 lakh rupees on machinery used for illegal extraction in the Bhini River of Billawar.
Acting on a tip-off, a joint team of the mining department and Billawar police swiftly raided the Hotter area along Bhini River and seized all equipment involved in the illegal mining operation. This included two JCBs, two dumpers, and one tractor trolley.
The DMO confirmed that officials measured the illegally excavated area during the seizure and imposed the penalty on the perpetrators as per established rules. Investigations revealed that the contractor deliberately deployed the machinery in a location nearly 3 kilometers away from a sanctioned minor mineral block to avoid royalty payments.
Taking a firm stance against such environmental crimes, DMO Singh issued strict instructions to the contractor and other construction agencies. He emphasized that transporting minor minerals must only be done from designated blocks and warned against indulgence in illegal mining, which not only harms natural resources but also defrauds the government exchequer.
