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| Is BJP-PDP govt serious in exploring Padder Sapphire Mines? | | I&C minister's visit to Suncham raises hopes among local unemployed youth | |  Asif Iqbal Naik
Early Times Report
Kishtwar, Sep 2: The visit of Minister for Industries and Commerce (I&C) Chander Prakash Ganga to Suncham Sapphire mines of Padder in Kishtwar District along with the Managing Director Jammu and Kashmir Minerals Limited and MoS Sunil Sharma visited the Suncham Padder Mines located in Padder area of Kishtwar District at an altitude of nearly 15000 feet above sea level has raised the hope among the unemployed youths of Kishtwar District, particularly among the youths of Padder area.
As per the details available with "Early Times" the minister visit to Padder Sapphire mines comes close on the heels of granting contract to the five internationally reputed firms who had bided for the exploration of these mines last year on the initiative of former I&C Minister Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo during previous NC-Congress government. During the course of the high profile visit, MD JK Minerals and local MLA Sunil Sharma brief the minister about the area and the plan of the department for extraction of Sapphire from these mines as well as its transportation, beside also briefed him about the tentative quantity of the Sapphire that can be extracted from these mines. The minister also conducted the aerial survey of the area and the progress of the construction of Gulabgard-Machail road was also discussed at length along with other local issues during his nearly one hour visit.
Meanwhile the visit of I&C Minister Chander Prakash Ganga raised the hope among the unemployed youths of Kishtwar District including youths of Padder that they will get job opportunity as and when the extraction of the Sapphire would begin.
While talking to Early Times, Abdul Majeed Bichoo, a local, said that the people living in and around the famous Suncham mines are very poor and required a special rehabilitation and reconstruction package commonly known as RR Plan, added that beside assuring jobs to local unemployed youths, the government must fulfill the long pending demand of people of Padder with regard to the establishment of Sapphire refinery plant at Gulabgard or Atholi. He said that in addition to above mentioned demands, there is need to draw a comprehensive plan to tackle any hazards that would arise with the extraction of Sapphire from mines.
"The government must assure the reservation of 10% royalty for developmental activities out of the income generated from the extraction of Sapphire" said Shakir Siddiqui, President Public Awareness Front Kishtwar. He said that during the construction of maga power projects at Kishtwar, interests of locals were ignored. He said that all the natural resources dried up due to construction of Dool-Hasti power project as a result of which the people of Kishtwar are facing acute shortage of water. He said that people of Kishtwar will not turn blind eye in case the interest of local people will be compromised including denying employment avenues to the local unemployed youths.
It is worthwhile to mention that Jammu and Kashmir Government from last so many years plans to auction these famous Padder Sapphire mines at international level but the project could not be materialized till date, the reason best known to various successive Governments and the seriousness of BJP-PDP government towards exploring these world famous mines will be followed by one and all.
During all these years, the role of Geology and Mining Department also comes under the scanner for the alleged increase in number of Sapphire smuggling cases, but the role of Padder police also comes under scanner as to how these Sapphire Smugglers manage to reach the Sapphire mines at Suncham village situated at the height of over 15000 ft above the sea level having no human population and how the arrested smugglers managed to get out from clutches of Padder police as beside the mines are located at very difficult location and one needs to cover the distance by foot which requires at least 4 days to a person to manage access to the Padder Sapphire mines. Moreover the area besides lacking human population also remain covered with several feet's of snow for most part of the year and only it was during the month of July-September, the employees of Geology and Mining Department visited the area for extraction of Sapphire. During all these months, police also established a police post at Suncham village few kilometers short from famous Sapphire mines. It was alleged that during said period i.e. from July-September, the Sapphire smugglers keep their fingers crossed for getting an access to these precious Sapphire gems in connivance with some local Sapphire smugglers operating in the area having full knowledge of various routes leading to Suncham Sapphire mines. The smugglers also used Gulabgard-Sansari-Himachal route for smuggling of Sapphire at international level where it costs several crores. |
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