Bilal Bhat
14 March 2026: Illegal extraction of sand and riverbed material from the fragile Doodganga stream in Chadoora has finally drawn police action, with FIR No. 30/2026 registered at Police Station Chadoora, exposing what activists describe as a deeply entrenched local mining network operating with little regard for environmental safety or public property.
The FIR was lodged following a formal complaint forwarded from the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Budgam to the Flood Spill Channel Division, Narbal, after reports surfaced that heavy machinery including JCBs and tractor trolleys were being used to extract sand and other materials from the Doodganga Nallah at Surasyar, Chadoora. �
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According to the complaint, field inspections conducted by officials found clear signs of illegal and unregulated mining activity, with locals identifying several individuals allegedly involved in the extraction and transportation of riverbed material. Officials noted that the culprits fled the site during inspection, but names were provided by residents who had witnessed the operations. �
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Those named in the FIR include:
Irfan Ahmad Dar, son of Late Nazir Ahmad Dar, resident of Surasyar – allegedly linked to a JCB used in the extraction.
Setha Ganie, son of Mohammad Ismail Ganie, resident of Surasyar Chadoora.
Nisar Ahmad, son of Late Ghulam Khaliq Dar, resident of Brenwar near Power Project.
Zubair Wali, son of Wali Mohammad Dar, resident of Surasyar – alleged tractor owner.
Altaf Chala, son of Nazir Ahmad Chala, resident of Bonion – alleged tractor owner. �
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Authorities warned that indiscriminate mining in the Doodganga stream has already begun altering the natural course of the nallah, increasing the risk of erosion, flooding and damage to flood-protection infrastructure. The complaint explicitly states that such activities pose a serious threat to life, public property and flood safety systems designed to protect nearby habitations. �
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Environmental activists say the FIR is long overdue. RTI activist Dr. Raja Muzaffar, who has repeatedly exposed illegal mining across Kashmir, had been raising alarm about such activities and pressing authorities to act against what he describes as a growing mining mafia operating along Kashmir’s rivers and streams. According to activists, sustained public pressure and documentation of violations ultimately forced authorities to move against those allegedly involved.
Observers say the case highlights a disturbing pattern across parts of Kashmir where riverbeds are being treated as private quarries, with heavy machinery stripping natural resources while endangering flood safety and ecological stability.
With the registration of FIR No. 30/2026, attention now turns to whether enforcement agencies will carry the investigation to its logical conclusion or if the case will join a long list of environmental violations that fade quietly without accountability.
For residents living along the banks of Doodganga, the stakes are far higher than a legal file — they are about the safety of homes, farmland, and the fragile ecology of one of the valley’s important water channels.
