Ветеран индийской армии ищет помощи у правительства после разрушения дома из-за добычи мыльного камня

Bageshwar: A 90-year-old Army veteran who fought in the 1965 and 1971 India-Pakistan wars has sought govt intervention after soapstone mining and heavy monsoon rains damaged his home in Banstoli village, forcing him to move to his daughter’s house with his wife last year. Prem Ram said deep cracks had made the house unsafe, but his repeated appeals to local authorities brought no help. “I fought for the country, but today I am running from office to office to save my home,” he said. Villagers in Bageshwar district blame years of excavation and use of heavy machinery used for soapstone mining for weakening the hillside terrain. Several families have abandoned their properties after houses developed severe cracks and the surrounding land began to sink. Ram’s neighbour, Shenkendra Prasad, who also had to leave his home after it developed cracks, said he alerted officials last year after noticing initial damage. “An inspection was carried out, but no protective work or compensation followed. Now the house has become unsafe and we have shifted to a relative’s home,” he said. The damage has also raised questions over the use of district mineral foundation (DMF) funds. Meanwhile, advocate Basant Kumar has sought an inquiry after RTI records showed that Rs 31 lakh available under the fund between 2017 and Dec 2025 was spent on beautifying the district magistrate’s office instead of helping mining-affected areas. Kumar warned of a protest from Aug 29 unless an inquiry was ordered. District mining officer Nazia Hasan rejected allegations of financial irregularities, saying the fund was used as per regulations. “So far, works worth around Rs 30 crore have been undertaken through the fund, with a majority of the expenditure going towards development works in mining-affected areas,” she said. Hasan said mining pits in Banstoli had been backfilled and a geologist had been to examine fresh cracks and land subsidence.