J&K Govt won’t allow mining at cost of environment: Deputy CM

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Ziraat Times
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Jammu: In a significant push to accelerate infrastructure development in Jammu and Kashmir, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary on Wednesday chaired a high-level meeting to review mining-related issues impacting National Highway projects and assess the overall progress of these vital works.

The meeting brought together top officials including Commissioner Secretary Mining Vikramjit Singh, Secretary Public Works (R&B) Bhupinder Kumar, and senior representatives from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), Border Roads Organisation (BRO), Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), and Project Directors. Regional Officer NHAI, RS Yadav, and other officers participated online.

The review primarily focused on critical highway projects such as the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra (DAK) Expressway, Srinagar Ring Road, Chenani-Patnitop-Nashri stretch, Jammu-Rajouri highway, and several other ongoing road infrastructure works across the Union Territory.

Calling these projects “vital lifelines” for economic growth and connectivity, the Deputy Chief Minister issued strict instructions to all stakeholders to ensure their timely completion. He stressed the need to minimise public inconvenience and eliminate avoidable delays.

NHAI officials flagged several issues causing project delays, particularly the prolonged processing of mining permissions and the unavailability of key materials like ordinary soil and river bed material (RBM). They also highlighted challenges in obtaining Site-specific Technical Plans (STPs), which are mandatory for material extraction.

In response, Deputy CM Choudhary assured the officials that all pending matters are under active consideration and will be addressed on priority to facilitate uninterrupted development works. “We cannot afford delays in these strategic infrastructure projects,” he said, adding that seamless coordination between departments is the key to overcoming bureaucratic hurdles.

Zero Tolerance for Illegal Mining

On a stern note, the Deputy CM took serious exception to the growing menace of illegal mining across J&K. He reiterated the government’s commitment to protecting the environment and ordered immediate action against violators.

“Mining will not be allowed at the cost of J&K’s environment. Saving our ecology is a top priority, and illegal mining will be dealt with an iron hand,” Choudhary asserted. He directed officials to launch strict legal proceedings against those involved in illicit mining activities and to deploy enforcement mechanisms rigorously.

Penalties and Compliance

The Deputy CM also instructed executive agencies working on highway projects to first deposit any penalties imposed on them by the Mining Department in order to resume material supplies. He assured NHAI and other implementing agencies of the government’s full cooperation once these compliance steps are met.

Strict Monitoring and Coordination

Reviewing each highway package’s current status, the Deputy CM called for detailed monitoring of timelines, site inspections, and proactive issue resolution. He urged the concerned departments to undertake joint field visits with NHAI officials to ensure smooth progress and to prevent any resource-related disruptions due to illegal mining.

Emphasizing inter-departmental collaboration, Choudhary instructed that regular review meetings be held to identify and resolve bottlenecks in real-time. “All departments must work in tandem to meet deadlines and ensure public convenience is not compromised,” he said.

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