LAGATAR24 NETWORK
Ranchi, Feb.9: Jharkhand state unit president of BJP and Rajya Sabha member Deepak Prakash has expressed his concern over continuous deaths due to illegal mining in the state.
“How many lives are required for the government to wake up and come into action to stop illegal mining,” Prakash asked, expressing his concern.
He said that it was disturbing that despite the death of more than one and a half dozen people in four mining accidents since February 01, no statement has come from the government on this matter.
“It is enough to expose the sensitivity of the state government. The silence clearly tells how the government has given the freedom to continue looting coal and other minerals. In Dhanbad, the illegal business of coal has taken the form of industry. Illegal mining is being carried out in broad daylight. Every day hundreds of trucks laden with illegal coal are being sent out of the district and the state. Police raids and the constitution of a task force to close the entrance of mine is an eyewash. Everything is happening under the protection of government and police administration,” Prakash alleged.
Taking a dig over the silence of the state government, Prakash said that if the government has fixed any target of death to think about ending the illegal mining then it should publicize the same to enable people to wait till achievement of that number to think about the closure of illegal mining in the state.
“The network of illegal businessmen with the police is so strong that even before the raids the mafia gets information about it. In Dhanbad, a fixed amount is collected by the police for illegal business,” he said.
