Bilal Bhat
Sail Beerwah, December 26th – Following the persistent efforts of Dr. Raja Muzaffar Bhat, a prominent social and environmental activist, a team from the Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change (MoEF), the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), and the Jammu & Kashmir Pollution Control Committee (J&K PCC) visited the Sukhnag riverbed in central Kashmir’s Budgam district. This visit was prompted by the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) directive to assess the severe environmental damage caused by illegal riverbed mining (RBM) in the region.
Residents of Sail and Kangripora villages, who have long been advocating for action against the mining activities, gathered in large numbers to voice their concerns. They appealed to the visiting officials to take urgent steps to halt the mining operations of NKC Projects Pvt Ltd, a company accused of large-scale extraction of riverbed materials without the required environmental clearance. The illegal mining has been ongoing for three years, leading to significant destruction of the local ecosystem, drying up of agricultural fields, and contamination of water sources.
The officials assured the community that their grievances would be considered and that a factual report would be submitted to the NGT before its next hearing on January 14th, 2025. They expressed confidence that justice would be done in accordance with the law.
Dr. Muzaffar, who filed a petition with the NGT in Dr. Raja Muzaffar Bhat v/s UT of J&K (OA No-1211/2024), has been at the forefront of the fight against the illegal mining. In the petition, Dr. Muzaffar presented evidence, including geotagged images, showing heavy machinery illegally excavating materials from the Sukhnag riverbed. His efforts also highlighted the environmental impact, including the death of over 2,000 fish in a local trout farm due to disrupted water flow caused by mining activities.
“I am pleased to see the NGT-constituted team on the ground witnessing the destruction firsthand,” said Dr. Raja Muzaffar Bhat. “I am hopeful that the NGT will take appropriate action and impose significant environmental compensation on the violators. Additionally, fish farmers whose livelihoods have been affected should be compensated for their losses.”
The visit also included key officials such as the Director of Fisheries J&K, SDM Beerwah, SDPO Magam, Tehsildar Beerwah, DMO Budgam, and members of the Environmental Policy Group, all of whom witnessed the community’s concerns and the environmental damage caused by the mining activities.
This visit marks a crucial step toward addressing the environmental crisis in Sukhnag, thanks to the relentless efforts of Dr. Raja Muzaffar Bhat and the growing support of local communities.
