Alleged Overcharging of River-Bed Materials: RTI Activist Calls for Immediate Government Action
||Black and White Digital News ||
||Parvinder Singh February 14,2026 ||
JAMMU: Balvinder Singh, a prominent RTI and social activist from the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, has strongly criticized the alleged inaction of the Department of Geology & Mining for failing to publicly display the approved rate list of river-bed materials intended for public purchase.
Addressing the media, Mr. Singh stated that the government is both legally and morally obligated to ensure transparency in the pricing of natural resources. He urged the department to immediately publish the approved rates of river-bed materials at quarry sites and crusher units, as well as on official websites. He emphasized that rates should clearly specify site prices and F.O.R. destination prices, inclusive of royalty charges.
Mr. Singh further stressed that the notified rates must be displayed in volumetric measurements such as cubic feet or cubic meters, rather than by weight. According to him, volumetric measurement is more easily understood by consumers and minimizes the scope for arbitrary interpretation and overcharging.
He alleged that in the absence of a clearly notified and prominently displayed rate schedule, several building material suppliers and crusher owners are charging prices at their own discretion. This, he claimed, has led to the exploitation of consumers, particularly those from economically weaker sections, and amounts to unfair trade practices as well as administrative negligence.
Highlighting the broader impact, Mr. Singh observed that unchecked pricing has made it extremely difficult for poor families to construct even modest homes. He asserted that citizens have a fundamental right to information and fair access to natural resources at government-approved rates, and called upon authorities to ensure strict compliance and transparency.
Expressing concern over the lack of political intervention, Mr. Singh stated that no elected representative has raised the issue so far. He further alleged that some crusher units are reportedly owned by sitting MLAs and their relatives, which, he suggested, may explain the prevailing silence on the matter, leaving the common public uninformed and disadvantaged.
Mr. Singh has demanded that the Department of Geology & Mining immediately:
• Publish and prominently display approved rates of all river-bed materials at quarry sites, crusher units, and on official websites.
• Notify prices strictly in volumetric units (cubic feet/cubic meter).
• Establish a monitoring and enforcement mechanism to prevent overcharging.
He warned that if transparency is not ensured at the earliest, he may be compelled to seek appropriate legal remedies before the competent authorities.
The issue has sparked renewed discussion on transparency, accountability, and consumer protection in the regulation of natural resource pricing in Jammu & Kashmir.
