SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government has withdrawn the exemption from Environmental Clearance (EC) for manual customary extraction of sand, silt and clay, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary informed the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday.
Replying to a calling attention notice moved by MLA Sheikh Ahsan Pardesi during the ongoing Autumn Session, Choudhary said the exemption had been withdrawn in compliance with Supreme Court directions.
He said the government, through S.O. 119 dated April 22, 2026, omitted provisions of S.O. 599 dated November 15, 2022, which had exempted local Hanjis, Khanias, muleteers and others from obtaining Environmental Clearance for manual customary extraction of sand, silt and clay.
The Deputy Chief Minister said the earlier exemptions were no longer permissible in view of the Supreme Court judgment and that extraction of minor minerals must comply with the notification dated March 28, 2020.
He added that stone quarrying also requires Environmental Clearance under the applicable provisions.
Pardesi had sought the government’s intervention to keep in abeyance a recent order concerning Environmental Clearance for the lifting and removal of loose material. He also called for a review of its implications for stone quarry operations, employment and the availability of construction material.
Clarifying its communication dated September 8, 2026, the government said it was intended to ensure compliance with the existing statutory and regulatory framework and did not introduce any new or independent requirement for Environmental Clearance.
The government reiterated that extraction of minor minerals must be carried out in accordance with the prevailing legal framework, including obtaining Environmental Clearance wherever applicable.
