Srinagar, May 24: Despite government ban, the mineral extraction from Dachigam Nalla continues unabated in Kashmir capital Srinagar.

According to people from Dachigam and its adjoining areas of Srinagar city accused Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Geology and Mining department and Jammu and Kashmir Police of allowing illegal extraction of boulders in Dachigam Nala, thus destroying the socio-geography of the area.

According to residents, the officials are allowing the extraction of boulders at different locations including Sarband Lake and Chandpora Bridge adding that they are hand-in-glove with the mineral smugglers. “The Govt orders are being violated and authorities seem helpless,” they said.

Residents added that these extractors start their work in the evening till midnight, that too adjacent to the Police Station Harwan using men and heavy machinery by mining the minerals. They added that the area at evening hours looks like a bus stand in presence of a huge number of tippers used to ferry the extracted material from the site.

They have appealed to the concerned authorities to look into the matter and stop this Illegal boulder extraction in the area. kdc