Suhail Bhat
SRINAGAR, Nov 20 : Illegal mining continues to ravage the ecologically fragile Rambi Ara stream in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district, severely disfiguring its landscape and causing detrimental impacts on stream morphology and the ecological balance.
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The excessive and unauthorized mining has eroded the stream’s banks, weakening the foundations of bridges that are vital for connectivity between villages on either side. This practice has damaged the stream’s biodiversity, destroyed habitats of fish, flora, and fauna, and significantly impacted the water table.
According to local sources, dozens of earth movers and other heavy machinery are being employed by the mining mafia to extract sand and gravel from the stream, in direct violation of environmental laws. “They are openly extracting sand and boulders using JCBs and other machinery, and the district administration have tacitly allowed this to happen,” a local said.
A particular concern for locals is that extraction is happening beneath bridges constructed after the devastating floods of 2014, posing risks to the bridges’ stability and endangering the population in the event of future floods. “Most of the devastation in September 2014 was caused by this stream, and now these activities are ensuring that even prolonged rain could lead to havoc,” one local said.
Locals told Excelsior that the mining mafia operates round the clock, raising questions about how such activity is permitted under the watch of the police and administration. “This is a clear case of the administration being complicit with the mafia. How else could they transport material without being stopped by the police and Mineral officers and district administration stationed everywhere?” they asked.
Environmental activist Dr. Raja Muzaffar highlighted that, under the Jammu and Kashmir Mining Concession Rules, mining should only extend one meter deep after obtaining approval through an e-auction. “Instead, contractors are digging as deep as 10 meters using heavy machinery, which violates both the mining rules and the guidelines of the Jammu and Kashmir State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority,” he said.
Dr. Muzaffar added that environmental clearance is granted only on the condition that laborers, not machines, are used for extraction. “Many of our freshwater streams originate from glaciers. The rampant riverbed mining in these streams threatens their biodiversity, damages landscapes, and destroys embankments,” he said.
The District Mining Officer (DMO) Pulwama told Excelsior that the department is taking action against the illegal mining. “We have registered FIRs against the illegal mining, seized machinery and imposed heavy fine on the violators,” he said.
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