Pajhwok Afghan News
04/26/2005
By Rohullah Arman
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KUNDUZ  – Illegal mining of coal continues in the northern province of Takhar despite directions to the provincial government to put an end to it, according to Engineer Mohammed Ali Madad, director of government coal enterprise of northeast zone.

Madad told Pajhwok Afghan News that though they sent a formal application to the Governor's office in Takhar to stop illegal mining from the coal mine in Kizistan of Kulfgan district of Takhar province, the illegal mining continued.

Madad, who was heading a delegation of three investigating the illegal mining handed over three persons to the governor's office saying they were engaged in the illegal activity. He told Pajhwok Afghan News,"as long as a new law is not made for mining coal from the coal mine by the ministry of mines and industries, nobody can mine the coal. Those do so will be punished and the coal confiscated."

Provincial officials however said they were doing their best to identify and arrest those involved.

Engineer Mir Mohammed Sediq the Minister of Mines and Industries had earlier told Pajhwok Afghan News that after the war started in Afghanistan, the mines went out of the control of the government, with most of them coming under the control of local commanders.

The Minister had said that five coal mines, one ruby mine in Badakhshan and two mines in Nangarhar were controlled by government. More than 300 mines including mines of gas, aluminum, bronze, gold, coal, etc are there in Afghanistan.

The Gazistan coal mine of Kulfgan district of Takhar province is situated 100 kms from the center of Takhar province. Locals say they have seen people engaged in illegal mining.

Mohammed Ullah from Kulfgan said that he himself has seen coal being extracted from the mine in recent days. "Although we have not heard about the decree of the government we have seen people extracting the coal and selling it in the market."

But Mohammed Kabir Mirzaban the governor of Takhar province said that it was not impossible that illegal mining would take place since the government did not have full control over that area. He added that they would continue to follow the case. The police chief of Takhar province Mohammed Akram said they were investigating the case.

He told Pajhwok Afghan News: "although we have no reports in the last days about the illegal extraction from the coal mine, we are still trying to identify the people and arrest them."

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