2 min readJammuApr 11, 2026 07:42 AM IST
Jammu & Kashmir’s Deputy Chief Minister and Mining Minister Surinder Choudhary has slammed the Director Geology and Mining for retaining officials he had suspended or transferred, demanding an inquiry.
Speaking to the media after a visit, Chaudhary, who holds the portfolios of Public Works (R&B), Industries & Commerce, Mining, Labour & Employment, and Skill Development, said he was “shocked” to see officials who had been suspended or transferred following “serious allegations” still working there. He also alleged irregularities in the directorate — which comes under him — calling it “a fish market and a source of illegal mining”.
“It seems illegal mining is being encouraged and patronized from within the Directorate of Mining, Jammu,” he said. “Neither the director nor the joint director was in office when he went, having gone to attend a meeting with the chief secretary in the civil secretariat. I’m going to the secretariat and will call the director and the joint director to find out how these officials still work in the Directorate.”
He attributed the situation to the “administrative challenges” his elected government was facing.
“We don’t have a state and are functioning as a Union Territory so some people take advantage of this, and approach other authorities to escape action taken against them for their wrong doings,” he added. “This brings a bad name to the government, but not for much longer. They will have to pay for their wrong doings”.
The functioning of the mining department has previously been criticised. In February, Anti-Corruption Bureau teams conducted searches at stone crushers at Bajalta (Jammu), Gandyal (Kathua), Kaller and Doongi (both Rajouri), the Rajouri district mineral office, and mining blocks at Saranu (Rajouri), Anji and Arnas (both in Reasi district).
“Most of the stone crushers and block holders were found indulging in illegal mining activities, functioning in blatant violation of the terms and conditions, thereby causing irreversible ecological degradation in the regions etc,” the department said in a statement.
