Bajaur residents ask govt to halt mining near homes

KHAR: The residents of Inzari area in Khar tehsil of Bajaur district on Thursday asked the government to help halt the mining of nephrite from a quarry near their homes.

Talking to reporters, the residents, including Fazlur Rehman, Hazrat Muhammad, Taj Muhammad, Amir Gulab, Siraj, Ziaullah and others expressed fears that nephrite mining in their area posed a significant danger to their mud-thatched abode.

The urged the authorities to ask the contractor to stop mining near their homes and construct a safety wall as per the agreement or else they would launch a protest movement.They said that their ancestors had been living in the Inzari area for centuries. In 2015, the community leased out a shared mountain to one Javed Khan from Inzari under the condition that he would not include private lands or homes in the lease. However, the contractor concealed the lease map and later it was revealed that he had tactfully included private lands.

When the contractor’s mining operation approached their homes, he signed an agreement to construct a safety wall 53 feet away to protect their houses. However, the contractor violated the agreement and continued mining.

“The excavation is now just 6 feet away from their homes, increasing the risk of collapse of their abodes,” an elders complained.He said a child had already lost his life after falling into one of the pits, and several animals have met the same fate. “Despite these dangers, the promised safety wall had not been constructed,” he added.

The residents said that they had requested authorities, including the chief inspector of Mines, director general and secretary of Minerals and Bajaur deputy commissioner but they did not take any action.

At last, they said that they approached the Peshawar High Court, which sought comments from the Bajaur administration. Following the court’s orders, the assistant commissioner visited the site and recommended halting all mining activities near the houses based on ground realities. This report was submitted to the court.

However, the contractor resumed mining operations despite the court orders. They demand immediate measures to ensure the safety of their homes and families.They threatened to stage a sit-in protest outside the DC office if their demand was not met forthwith.