Illegal mining banned in Charsadda

CHARSADDA: Deputy Commissioner imposed Section 144 and banned mining of precious mine and minerals for a month in the district.

According to Notification No. DC(CHD)AG4665-77, the district administration under Section 144 has banned mining of precious mines and minerals for a month in the district.Mining has been banned several mine and mineral reserves, including Manzooray, Khiyali, Dheri Zardad, Panra Jranda, Kanure, Subhan Khawar, Hajizai, Ziarat Chulghazai, Agra, Sardaryab, Shabara, Nissata Tapo, Subhan Khawar Block-B, Nawan Dhand, Munda Pul, Hat Canal, Camp Koroona and others.

The ban on mining was imposed after the provincial Irrigation and Tourism departments reservations about the soil erosion, damage to tourist spots and protection walls along the banks of Kabul River on which billions of rupees had been spent and others.

The contractors, who had been awarded contracts for mining in the district recently, have decided to move court against the imposition of the ban.However, illegal mining of precious mines and minerals is allegedly in full swing despite the ban, causing huge losses to the provincial exchequer every year.

Sources said that the provincial government was losing Rs157.13 million per annum due to ban on mining and flawed policies to boost the sector in Charsadda. They said that there were huge mine and mineral reserves on 13,000 acres of land in Charsadda.

However, they said mining could not be carried out for the last two years owing to the ban and non-existence of specific policies to promote the sector along modern lines.The sources also said that illegal mining from 15 mine reserves in the district was going on, which caused millions of losses to the government kitty and destroyed the sector as well. They said the provincial government had suffered the losses amounting to Rs314.26 million due to the ban on mining during the last two years.