Srinagar, Sept. 2 -- In an official circular, Director Geology and Mining stated that the unprecedented floods and landslides have caused heavy damage to property and farmlands, leaving behind huge deposits of river-borne material, including sand, silt, bajri, and nalla mukh.

To mitigate the disaster's impact, the DMOs have been instructed to act under Rule 107 of the J&K Minor Mineral Concession, Storage, Transportation of Minerals and Prevention of Illegal Mining Rules, 2016 (SRO 105).

The circular emphasizes that such removal must be carried out only after due verification of land titles from the Revenue Department and with payment of applicable charges.

Importantly, the extraction is to be limited to debris lying on the surface wit...