SRINAGAR: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has summoned the Deputy Commissioner of Budgam and directed an immediate cessation of illegal mining activities in the Sukhnag River following revelations of significant environmental damage. The directive came after a Joint Committee (JC) report confirmed illegal riverbed mining in the area.
The JC, constituted by the NGT, comprises representatives from the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF), the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee (JKPCC), and the Directorate of Fisheries, J&K. They inspected the affected sites in Sail and Kangripora villages, Beerwah, on December 26, 2024. Local administrative officials, including the SDM, Tehsildar, SDPO, and SHO, accompanied the inspection, as did petitioner Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat and local residents.
In its preliminary findings submitted to the NGT on January 13, the JC reported that the illegal extraction of minor minerals and boulders has disrupted the water supply, leading to environmental degradation and economic losses. Specifically, trout fish farms owned by Peerzada have suffered due to increased turbidity and reduced water levels.
The report highlighted that the Geology and Mining Department issued 163 short-term permits (STPs) between 2020 and 2024 for developmental projects without adequate oversight. These permits, issued under the authority of the Deputy Commissioner and the Executive Engineer of the Flood Spill Division, Narbal, allegedly facilitated illegal mining.
The JC noted: “The area upon which the Sukhnag nallah flows in Beerwah Sub Division of District Budgam is state land recorded in the revenue record. It is recorded in the occupation of the state.”
The three-member NGT bench, comprising Justice Prakash Shrivastava (Chairperson), Sudhir Agarwal (Judicial Member), and Dr A Senthil Vel (Expert Member), expressed concern over the lack of representation and response from the Deputy Commissioner, Budgam. The bench ordered the Deputy Commissioner to appear virtually at the next hearing and ensure no further illegal mining occurs without requisite permissions and environmental clearances.
The tribunal also allowed the petitioner’s counsel, Advocate Saurabh Sharma, to file a response to the JC report within four weeks. The case has been scheduled for the next hearing on April 29, 2025.
Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat, who has been vocal about the environmental degradation in Sukhnag for over three years, welcomed the NGT’s intervention and the JC’s findings.
“The JC report confirms what I have been saying for years. Illegal mining under the pretext of disposal and short-term permits has caused irreparable damage to Sukhnag. I demand environmental compensation from the contractors and government departments involved in this destruction,” he said.
Dr Bhat stressed the need for stringent action, urging the NGT to impose penalties on those responsible for enabling the environmental damage.
The Sukhnag River, flowing through Beerwah in Budgam district, has been a vital water source for the region. However, unregulated mining activities have caused ecological damage, disrupted livelihoods, and threatened aquatic ecosystems, including trout farms.
The NGT’s intervention highlights the urgent need for stricter enforcement of environmental regulations and accountability for government departments that issue permits without proper scrutiny.
