Mining activity plays major role in bridge damage, says Minister

Expressing concern over the damage caused to a bridge in Kathua district, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said the excessive mining activities play a major role in weakening a bridge and called for collective responsibility to curb the said practice.

“The mining that people do to earn for their families weakens the bridge on which even their own children walk or drive. Unless we develop a collective feeling on the issue, nothing can stop mining,” the minister told reporters here.

On August 24, a bridge near Logate Morh on the Jammu-Pathankot highway was damaged following heavy rains in Kathua district.

While speaking to mediapersons here, he also pointed to the nexus between politics and illegal mining. “What has been happening for the past 15 years in Jammu and Kashmir is that those who further their careers in politics start their own illegal crusher. That is the problem,” Singh said.

With reference to recent flash floods, the minister said the outcry for the removal of encroachments intensifies after disasters, but when anti-encroachment drives are initiated, vested interests join hands to oppose them.

“Whenever a drive is started, political parties and business people gang together to demand the shifting of the deputy commissioner or district mining officer,” he said.

He, however, also mentioned that it was encouraging that people are now speaking out against illegal encroachments, including structures such as khokas on nallahs and drains, which were earlier defended. “Now there is a growing realisation in favour of such drives,” he added.

On the relief package for flood-affected areas, the Union Minister said estimates are being prepared by the respective district authorities and will be submitted to the central government.