SRINAGAR: In a significant development, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued notices to senior officials of the Jammu and Kashmir Government and other relevant authorities regarding the illegal riverbed mining activities in the Sasara stream (nallah) in Pulwama district. The case, which pertains to mining operations between the Chatripora and Bandzoo villages, was brought to the NGT’s attention by Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat, a local activist and petitioner.
On December 5, 2024, the NGT bench, comprising Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi (Judicial Member) and Dr. A. Senthil Veil (Expert Member), directed the Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir, the Inspector General of Police for the Kashmir Zone, the Deputy Commissioner of Pulwama, the Director of Geology & Mining, the Member Secretary of the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee, and contractor Ranbir Singh to file responses to the petition. The next hearing is scheduled for March 28, 2025.
The petitioner, through his counsel Advocate Saurabh Sharma, raised concerns about the ongoing riverbed mining (RBM) in the Sasara nallah, a tributary of the Rambiara, located in the Bandzoo Bridge area, downstream between Bandzoo and Chatripora villages. The mining is reportedly being carried out by Ranbir Singh, who was granted an Environmental Clearance (EC) on April 5, 2022. However, Dr Bhat claims that the mining operations are in violation of specific conditions outlined in the clearance, particularly the prohibition on using heavy machinery such as JCBs.
Dr Bhat has submitted GPS photos as evidence, showing the use of heavy machinery in the area. Despite raising the issue with the Chief Secretary and IGP Kashmir through multiple complaints, Dr Bhat stated that no action had been taken, prompting him to approach the NGT for intervention. “The use of JCBs in the riverbed is a clear violation of the EC’s conditions. The photographs I submitted to the NGT prove this, and the tribunal has taken cognizance of the matter,” said Dr Bhat.
Local residents of Bandzoo have also expressed their concerns about the adverse impacts of the mining activities. Fayaz Ahmad, a resident of the area, noted that the mining was affecting local agricultural fields and apple orchards, as it was halting water supply to irrigation channels and causing springs to dry up. These environmental issues are in violation of the Jammu and Kashmir Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 2016, which govern such activities.
The NGT’s order on December 5 acknowledged the serious environmental concerns raised in the petition. “Prima facie, the averments made in the application raise substantial questions relating to the environment arising out of the implementation of the enactments specified in Schedule I to the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010,” the order stated. The tribunal has now directed the respondents to submit their responses before the next hearing.
This case underscores the growing concerns over illegal mining activities in Jammu and Kashmir and the need for stricter enforcement of environmental regulations. The NGT’s involvement marks a crucial step in ensuring that mining operations in the region comply with legal and environmental standards to protect local ecosystems and communities.
