PUL-I-ALAM (SW): Logar residents have expressed grim concerns over rampant illegal extraction of precious and semi-precious minerals in the province.
The province is rich in minerals such as copper, chromite and others particularly in the Mohammad Agha district. A number of residents have told Salam Watandar illegal mining is going on here for long time, and the extracted materials are smuggled to neighboring Pakistan via secret routes.
Two such Logar residents, Mohammad Sarwar Sarhadi from the provincial capital Pul-i-Alam, and Rafiullah Mohammadi, resident of Mohammad Agha, said illegal extraction and smuggling of chromite goes uncheck in a number of districts. They said this enormous public wealth has been exploited by a handful of individuals with power and authority. They feared failure on the part of the government in stopping it would further aggravate the situation.
Lutfullah, a local civil society activist, categorically blamed the police force for staying idle in this regard. He said mines are blown-up for illegal extraction in bright day light, and no action is taken.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Nazeer Mushfaq, interim director for mines and petroleum, has said that such situation is only prevalent in some restive areas only. He added plans are in sight to handover the mines to private sector soon.
Saleem Saleh, spokesman for the provincial governor, said in this regard that the government has stopped illegal mining of chromite from a number of areas.
ENDS
