When the Supreme Court of India imposes a blanket ban on mining in ecologically sensitive areas, one would expect strict adherence by Government Departments. Yet, what is unfolding along the banks of the Doodh Ganga stream in Budgam is a shocking tale of institutional complicity and environmental apathy. At Kralwari Borwah in Chadoora, the extraction of gravel, sand, and boulders is happening under the cover of “Short Term Permits” and “Disposal Permissions”-terms that now stand invalid in light of the Supreme Court’s judgement. Yet, authorities in the Fisheries and Geology & Mining Departments seem to have found comfort in bureaucratic loopholes rather than compliance.
The consequences are dire. The Doodh Ganga is not just a stream-it’s a designated trout fish beat and a fragile aquatic ecosystem. Heavy machinery digging into its bed destroys breeding grounds, disturbs the ecological balance, and silts up water channels. The so-called NOCs issued for Government works explicitly prohibit mining in the watercourse, but those clauses now read like hollow words. What makes this worse is the administrative inertia. The JKPCC, the agency responsible for enforcing environmental laws, continues to “take note” rather than take action. The Rs 15.79 lakh penalty imposed in the earlier case remains unrecovered. Instead of tightening the screws, new permissions are being issued with impunity. When regulatory authorities turn into facilitators, enforcement collapses and the rule of law becomes a casualty.
Passing the buck has become the default administrative response. Departments write letters, issue warnings, and cite court orders-but the excavators keep rolling. This orchestrated indifference suggests more than inefficiency. The fact that violations continue even after explicit warnings from the Fisheries Department shows how deep-rooted this rot has become. Ultimately, the question is not just about one river. It is about the integrity of environmental governance itself. If laws meant to protect our rivers and ecosystems can be so casually ignored, what hope remains for sustainable development? It is high time for an impartial, high-level inquiry to expose the mining nexus and ensure that those responsible are held to account. Environmental degradation cannot be the price of administrative complacency. The river’s survival depends on the administration acting decisively-not just noting violations, but stopping them.
The post Law and Ecology Mined Away appeared first on Daily Excelsior.