Report by Mar 23; hearing slated for Mar 27
Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Mar 18: An expert committee constituted by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) today conducted an on the site inspection of the Sukhnag stream in Sail area of Beerwah sub-division in Budgam district to assess environmental damage caused by alleged illegal riverbed mining.
The committee, comprising senior scientist Dr Sandeepan Mukherjee of the G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Khurshid Alam, Director in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), examined the riverbed, embankments and adjoining grazing lands.
Officials said the stream has witnessed significant degradation over the past three to four years, allegedly due to mining activities by NKC Projects Pvt Ltd.
The inspection follows directions from the NGT, which is hearing a petition filed by RTI and environmental activist Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat.A seven-member committee constituted by the Deputy Commissioner Budgam in August last year had reported extensive environmental damage to the Sukhnag due to large-scale illegal mining.
The panel found deep trenches along the stream, erosion of embankments caused by heavy machinery, and damage to flood protection structures.It noted that continued extraction of riverbed material had altered the natural morphology, longitudinal slope and geomorphological stability of the trout-bearing stream, resulting in erratic flow patterns and accelerated downstream erosion.
The committee recommended restoration measures including filling of trenches, levelling of the riverbed, construction of check-dams and stabilisation of embankments, and called for a complete halt to mining to allow ecological recovery.
Authorities have registered 26 FIRs against alleged violators and stated that illegal extraction has been halted with enforcement mechanisms in place.
Earlier, a central team had visited the site in December 2024, following which the NGT imposed a complete ban on mining in January 2025.
A supervisory committee was subsequently set up by the Tribunal to review the district administration’s report.
During the latest hearing, the NGT observed that the report was largely qualitative and directed a fresh field inspection to quantify environmental damage, identify those responsible and assess losses, including those suffered by a local trout farmer.
Officials said the expert committee will submit its report by March 23. The matter is scheduled for hearing on March 27, when the tribunal is expected to consider the findings and may reserve its judgment.
The inspection was assisted by officials from multiple departments, including the Sub-Divisional Magistrate Beerwah, Divisional Forest Officer Budgam, officers from the Flood Control and Revenue departments, Fisheries Department, District Mineral Office and local police.
The petitioner, Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat, along with local residents and social activists, was also present during the inspection.
The post NGT panel inspects Sukhnag, assesses mining damage appeared first on Daily Excelsior.