Overview
- Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary announced an inquiry after a surprise visit to the Jammu mining directorate found officers he had suspended or transferred still on duty.
- He said some officers in the department enable illegal mining from inside the Jammu directorate.
- The Director and the Joint Director were not in the office during the check, with staff citing a meeting called by the Chief Secretary.
- Choudhary said he will take the issue to the civil secretariat to press for action and argued that UT status lets some officials dodge orders.
- He pointed to earlier anti-corruption searches at stone crushers and mining blocks that reported widespread violations and ecological harm in several districts.