JAMMU: Two days after STATE TIMES, in its exclusive report, titled ‘River Tawi bruised, exploited on daily basis by mafia’ had highlighted the plight of ‘Surya Putri’ River Tawi and failure of the various State government agencies, including police to check the rampant encroachment and spread of mining mafia, a Division Bench (DB) of Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Monday directed SSP Jammu to file a status report by or before 21st December, 2016 highlighting the steps taken to enforce the directions, whereby mining has been banned from River Tawi.
When the PIL came-up for hearing, the DB, comprising Chief Justice N Paul Vasanthakumar and Justice Tashi Rabstan, sought personal appearance of SSP, Jammu and put the case for second half of the court.
After break of the court, the DB again put up the case for hearing and SSP Jammu appeared in person and produced some orders prohibiting extraction of minor mineral as well as seizure of vehicles carrying/transporting extraction of minor mineral and also given direction to the concerned Station House Officers (SHOs) that no extraction shall be permitted between 06:00 PM to 06:00 AM without prior permission from the concerned authorities.
The DB further observed that no material record in respect of seizure of vehicles and other details are made available.
Upon this Senior Superintendent of Police, Jammu sought time to file status report in this regard and granted two days time and directed Registry to list this PIL on 21st December, 2016.
During the course of hearing Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed drew the attention of the Court towards the rampant violation of Court directions by the mining mafia and further submitted that lower rung police officers in Sidhra area are hand in glove with the mining mafia and no effective steps are taken by the police to nab the culprits who resort to illegal mining during the night hours.
Advocate Ahmed further submitted that lower rung police officers are also encouraging night constructions on the river bed on extraneous consideration and also said that throughout night the trolleys roam from river beds towards city after crossing police nakas and till date, no trolley has been seized by the police.
Senior Advocate B. S Salathia along with Advocate Deewakar also submitted that the Jammu police is not taking the directions of the High Court seriously and further submitted that a high-level team should be constituted to visit the river bed area and it will come to fore as to how the organised mafia is violating the directions of the Division Bench.
Senior Advocate B. S Salathia further submitted that despite banning of Malba in the river bed, the Malba is being thrown in the river bed and also submitted that there is Naka near Sidhra Bridge but no steps are taken to stop the moment of trolleys during night hours. He further submitted that Senior Officers of the police department should be directed to personally monitor the implementation of directions of the Division Bench.