Action against illegal mining in Oghi, Darband demanded

MANSEHRA: The people of Oghi and its suburbs on Sunday demanded the government to take legal action against illegal mining in two tehsils of the district.

“We have been facing enormous environmental and other issues due to the illegal mining in parts of Darband and Oghi tehsils,” Umar Khattab Jalwal, the chairman of the Agror-Tanawal Action Committee, told reporters in Oghi.

The chairman of the committee, which is constituted by the affected people of Agror and Tanawal against illegal mining, said that the government was yet to take action to curb illegal mining.

“The illegal mining is underway in union councils of Shungli Bandi, Shergar, Karori and Nikapani. And no legal action has been taken against such minors so far,” said Umar Jalwal.

He said that the Mansehra-Oghi-Darband Road, which was recently blacktopped with Rs1 billion fund, was developing cracks as truckers were using that artery to transport 30 to 50 tonnes of granite and other minerals from here to markets in the country.

“Would you believe our water resources and forests are being destroyed due to the illegal mining and blasting? We had taken up this issue with the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency but to no avail,” he said.

The chairman of the action committee said that the miners were also involved in cutting forest illegally.“The caretaker chief minister should take notice of illegal mining in Oghi and Darband to provide a pollution-free environment to locals and protect infrastructure being destroyed rapidly in both tehsils,” Jalwal said.