Sukhnag Illegal Riverbed Mining:  NGT forms committee, seeks report in 8 weeks

New Delhi, Oct 5: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has once again taken strong action against illegal riverbed mining in Kashmir, this time constituting a high-level committee to investigate mining activities in the Sukhnag River, Beerwah, Budgam. The committee has been directed to submit a factual report within eight weeks on the illegal mining occurring in Sail village and the surrounding areas.

On Friday, October 4, 2024, the NGT’s Principal Bench, led by Justice Prakash Srivastava (Chairperson), along with Justice A.K. Tyagi and Dr. Senthil A. Vel (Expert Member), heard a petition filed by Dr. Raja Muzaffar Bhat, a social and environmental activist. The petition alleged that illegal riverbed mining in the Sukhnag River was causing environmental damage and severely affecting aquatic life, particularly the local trout population.

Advocate Saurabh Sharma, counsel for the petitioner, presented the NGT bench with detailed evidence, including geotagged images of heavy machinery and dumpers illegally extracting boulders from the Sukhnag River, in violation of the J&K Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 2016. He further argued that earlier this year, in May, the halting of water flow caused the death of over 2,000 fish at a nearby trout farm owned by local entrepreneur Peerzada Rayees, with no action taken by the authorities despite communication between the SDM, Tehsildar, and Fisheries Department.

The Principal Bench, headed by Justice Prakash Srivastava, has ordered the formation of a committee to examine the issue and report its findings within eight weeks. The committee will consist of representatives from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee, and the Director of Fisheries, Jammu and Kashmir Government. The J&K Pollution Control Committee will act as the nodal agency for the investigation.

Dr. Raja Muzaffar Bhat expressed his satisfaction with the NGT’s intervention. “The illegal mining not only causes environmental harm but also results in significant financial loss to the state exchequer. Riverbed material worth Rs 20 to 25 lakh is being extracted daily, yet only a fraction, around Rs 25,000, is deposited into the government treasury. The Geology & Mining Department has only realized a few crore rupees, while the loot continues in violation of the J&K Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 2016,” he said.

The case is scheduled for its next hearing on January 14, 2025.