LAHORE: To combat illegal placer gold mining from River Indus in District Attock, the Punjab government has constituted an eight-member committee led by its Convener Minister for Mines and Minerals, Sardar Sher Ali Gorchani. The committee will enhance coordination between the administrative departments and the law enforcement agencies.

The committee held its inaugural meeting with Provincial Minister for Law and Communications Sohaib Ahmed Bhart through a video link.

Secretary Mines and Minerals Babar Aman Babar, DG Mines, Additional Commissioner Rawalpindi, RPO Rawalpindi, DPO Attock, and DC Attock participated via video link. The committee expressed deep concerns over the illegal transportation of placer gold from the Indus River in Attock, discussing the sensitivity and importance of the issue in detail.

Various measures to prevent unauthorized placer gold mining were deliberated. The committee decided to prepare a mechanism to prevent the illegal mining of placer gold in areas restricted by the Ministry of Defence. Gorchani emphasized the need for a permanent police checkpoint to prevent criminal activities and unauthorized mining in the River.

He said that multiple instances of unauthorized mining have been observed, even in restricted areas. The committee imposed Section 144 to halt all mining activities within District Attock along the River Indus.

A mechanism will be established to identify and recover stolen placer gold from the past. The action committee will soon visit the placer gold site in Attock and take comprehensive measures to safeguard valuable minerals.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024