KARACHI: Chief Minister of Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah on Thursday chaired a session to discuss the issue of mining at historic Karoonjhar Hills in district Tharparkar of Sindh, ARY News reported.
The chief minister directed concerned authorities to bring the survey reports, investors offers and regulatory laws before the cabinet.
The session was briefed that the Karoonjhar Hills range stretches over 20,100 acres. The wildlife sanctuary spreads over 2,00,000 acres, forests 18,704 acres and 28 small dams spreading over 17,930 acres of land.
Karoonjhar Hills near Nagarparkar on the northern edge of the Rann of Kutch, consist of granite rocks, constitute the oldest rocks of the Earth’s crust and Chinese clay. The principal range, Karoonjhar, is approximately 19 km in length and attains a height of 305 meters. Smaller hills in the east, covered with sparse jungle and pasturage.
The Sindh government had recently announced the decision to make a committee to review the matter and protect the area with proper demarcation in order to preserve the rich heritage, wildlife and culture of the site.
It is to be mentioned here that a division bench of Sindh High Court (SHC) Hyderabad circuit last year in November stayed excavation of granite and other minerals from Karoonjhar hills while issuing notices to the federal secretary of natural resources, secretary of forest and wildlife, Frontier Works Organisation (FWO), secretary of mines and minerals and different marble companies.
The bench ordered that respondents were jointly restrained from cutting mountain or removing any minerals from there.
The court passed the order on a petition filed by Ghulam Mustafa Hingorjo, a resident of Tharparkar.
The petitioner argued that respondents were involved in illegal cutting of Karoonjhar hills, and excavating and removing valuable minerals. He said the respondent officers were not taking action against such illegal activity.
