Illegal placer gold mining along the scenic Indus River in the area of Nizampur, District Nowshera, has escalated to alarming levels, posing a dual threat to national assets and the delicate biodiversity of the region. Despite the presence of local authorities, these activities persist due to the influence of a powerful mafia operating with impunity. The illicit mining activities, spearheaded by the well-connected and influential mafia, involve the deployment of an extensive fleet of more than 1,200 heavy machines along the riverbanks. This machinery is causing irreparable damage to, and depletion of, valuable national assets, and severe disruption of aquatic life. With the nation already grappling with a severe financial crisis and soaring inflation rates, the illicit placer gold mining activities compound economic woes. In a situation where every resource is crucial to alleviate financial strains, the failure to promptly address this issue signifies a missed opportunity to utilize a valuable resource for the country’s benefit. Instead of contributing to the national treasury, the illegally-extracted placer gold further deepens the economic crisis. Many citizens express frustration over the dual impact of economic challenges and environmental concerns resulting from unregulated mining. A bulldozer dumps a bucket of river sediment into a sifting device used by unregulated gold miners along the banks of the Indus River in Nowshera District, Pakistan. Image courtesy of Sabir Hussain. Despite the efforts of the Mineral Regional Office in Nowshera, which has filed over 370 cases against law violators engaged in this mining, the persistent reluctance of…This article was originally published on Mongabay
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