SRINAGAR: Around 150 fishermen families from nearly a dozen villages in Beerwah have allegedly lost their livelihood after a concrete structure constructed in the Sukhnag nallah at Makhama obstructed the upstream movement of fish, prompting the Jammu and Kashmir Climate Action Group (JKCAG) to demand its removal.
A delegation of JKCAG, led by its Chairman Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat, visited Makhama and met affected fishermen to assess the situation. The delegation, accompanied by members of the Sukhnag Fishermen Association (Mahigeer Association), demanded immediate intervention by the authorities and construction of a fish ladder to restore the movement of fish along the stream.
The structure was reportedly erected by the Roads and Buildings (R&B) Division Beerwah around two years ago as part of measures to protect the abutments of a bridge. However, fishermen allege that the concrete cross-section has severely obstructed fish movement, leaving them without catches for the past two years.
“This concrete structure is completely illegal as it was constructed without the consent of the Fisheries and Flood Control departments. In fact, the Fisheries Department had written to the Executive Engineer, R&B Division Beerwah, raising the issue, but no action has been taken even after more than 18 months,” Dr Raja Muzaffar said.
The delegation and fishermen staged a protest at the site, urging the administration to address the issue and restore the natural flow of the stream.
Abdul Rashid Waza, a fisherman from Beerwah, alleged that the community had been denied its traditional livelihood and that attempts to raise the issue had invited intimidation.
“When we raised our voice against this injustice, the contractor got me arrested two years ago. Our voice is being muzzled, and nobody has listened to us for the last two years,” he said.
Dr Raja Muzaffar said the Assistant Director Fisheries, Budgam, had also formally raised concerns over the obstruction with the Executive Engineer of the R&B Division, but the matter remained unresolved.
He described Sukhnag as a designated trout stream and alleged that it had suffered prolonged damage due to illegal riverbed mining by a construction company. JKCAG, he said, had approached the National Green Tribunal (NGT) two years ago, following which the mining activity was stopped.
“The concrete work beneath the Makhama bridge has been carried out in clear violation of the National Water Policy and the Jammu and Kashmir Water Resources (Regulation and Management) Act, 2010,” he alleged.
Dr Raja Muzaffar appealed to Chief Engineer R&B Central Kashmir Ishfaq Beigh, Deputy Commissioner Budgam Jatin Kishore and Director Fisheries J&K Abdul Majid Tak to intervene and ensure that the obstruction is removed and a fish ladder constructed.
He warned that if the authorities failed to act, JKCAG would approach the NGT again, seeking intervention to protect the stream’s aquatic ecosystem and the livelihood of the affected fishing families.
Senior JKCAG members Irshad Mushtaq, Advocate Shakir Parray and Tariq Bhat were part of the delegation.
