PANJSHIR (TOLOnews): Local officials in Panjshir said that they have issued licenses to 200 people to work on the extraction of emerald mines and that the licenses for 300 other people will be issued soon.
Panjshir’s department of Mines and Petroleum said there are a total of 750 emerald mines, and 20 new mines have been newly discovered.
“In Panjshir 750 emerald mines have been surveyed and registered. Around 200 people received their license,” said Mohammad Qassim Amiri, head of the Panjshir department of Mines and Petroleum.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the issuance of the licensed for extraction of the emerald mines, the provincial governor, Mohammad Agha Hakim, said that several mines have been discovered by the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum.
“Several mines have been discovered by the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum and we hope to inaugurate those mines as well in the near future,” he said.
Some of the participants urged the government officials to not interfere in the extraction of mines.
“The individuals who are involved in the guidelines of the mines, let them (mine extractors) work and don’t interfere in their work,’ said Qiamuddin Hanif, head of the Panjshir Ulema. Some residents of Panjshir said working in the mines is their only means of income in the current situation.
“Because we do not have any other business and we were working only on the mines, many mine workers have become jobless,” said Sayedullah, a mine extractor. “The mines have their problems including landslides and avalanches,” said Mohammad Aman, a mine extractor. According to the Panjshir department of Mines and Petroleum, work on iron mines will begin soon in the province.
200 licenses awarded to mine emeralds in Panjshir: Officials
