DMO Jammu Office, Tawi-Side Stone Crusher And Mining Block, Nowshera PWD Office Among Premises Searched; Documents And Official Records Seized For Scrutiny
Jammu,Nov 4:
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday carried out coordinated searches at four locations across Jammu and Rajouri districts as part of an inquiry into alleged violations of mining regulations and irregularities in the allotment of government works.
The searches were reportedly conducted at the office of the District Mineral Officer (DMO) in Jammu, a stone crusher unit and a mining block situated along the Tawi River, besides the Public Works Department (PWD) office in Nowshera area of Rajouri district.
According to sources, the action in Jammu was linked to allegations that certain stone crusher operations and a mining block were functioning without obtaining valid Consent to Operate (CTO) permissions. The alleged violations also include continuing operations despite the required environmental clearances having been denied.
In a separate matter, the CBI searched the PWD office in Nowshera following allegations that government contracts had been allotted to selected firms without adhering to the prescribed tendering procedure and established norms for selecting eligible bidders.
During the searches, CBI teams examined departmental files and other official records and seized documents for detailed scrutiny. The seized material is expected to be examined to establish whether mining regulations, operational permissions and government procurement procedures were followed.
The investigation is aimed at verifying the circumstances surrounding the alleged violations, including the functioning of mining and stone crusher units and the process adopted for awarding government contracts.
However, no detailed official statement regarding the findings of the searches or any further action had been issued by the investigating agency at the time of filing this report.
The latest CBI action has brought the functioning of mining-related authorities and the implementation of government tendering procedures under scrutiny in the Jammu region.PTI