M.M. SHUJA
Kashmir has been recognized by everyone as “Paradise on Earth”. Kashmir is a place which not only boasts of beautiful gardens, lakes, glaciers, mountains, and wetlands, but has also gained fame due to some of the most famous tourist spots in the world. Every year, thousands of tourists throng this valley to enjoy its natural beauty and warmth of its people. Although the valley doesn’t have many industrial resources and sources of economy, nature has blessed Kashmir with some of the most enchanting landscapes of the world, which attracts tourists from all over India and even abroad. However, Kashmir has suffered the unrest of more than three decades, which not only had a negative impact on tourism but has also led to the massive degradation of its natural resources. Forest lands have been encroached and exploited illegally in massive proportions. Wetlands, also called the “kidneys of the earth” because of their great ecological significance, have been encroached in a widespread manner. Development is a necessary factor for progress, but it must never come at the cost of environmental conservation. Nowadays, various seminars and educational sessions about environmental protection are being conducted at schools, colleges and by governmental departments. But, it is also vital to think about what has been already lost. Alas! Many of the forests, wetlands, and natural habitats, which have been destroyed, can never again be brought back to their original form. However, those that are left can still be conserved with good efforts from the government and public sector.
One of the foremost environmental issues that Kashmir is facing these days pertains to RIVER BED. Tenders had been floated by the Department of Mining for mining operations at Sukhnag and the neighboring regions. Even though the contractors were allowed to mine minerals through manual processes within stipulated limits, all these norms were flouted owing to the indulgence or indifference of some officials. Millions of tons of minerals were mined with the help of heavy equipment like JCB machines, leading to the excavation of lakhs of tons of riverbed material, which comprised sand and boulders. This kind of mining process has led to considerable destruction to the river tributaries along with hampering the carrying capacity of the water flow into the River Jhelum. Noted Environmental activist Dr. Raja Muzaffar Bhat was one of the first persons to express apprehension about the phenomenon of illegal mining activities in various areas of the Valley. When his repeated appeals went unnoticed and did not generate any response from the concerned quarters, he moved the “National Green Tribunal” and submitted a petition to the NGT, wherein he highlighted the environmental hazards posed by such practices of illegal dredging and mining of boulders from the Sukhnag River. Dr. Bhat expressed serious concern about the practice of mining that not only resulted in the loss of valuable natural resources but also affected the flow of water to the trout fish farm situated in Doenkul Bagh area of Beerwah Tehsil of Budgam district. He added that mining of riverbed material is done in accordance with Jammu and Kashmir Minor Mineral Concessions, Storage, Transport and Prevention of Illegal Mining Rules, 2016, and various notifications issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change.
Under these rules, an approved mining plan, environmental clearance, and permission to operate are the necessary pre-requisites for the exploitation of minor minerals. It is alleged in the present case that all these requirements under the law have been overlooked or flouted. The contention of Dr. Bhat is that such flouting of legal requirements calls for imposition of environmental compensation as per the “Polluter Pays Principle” of international repute. Dr. Bhat has also sought legal action against the offenders indulging in illegal and scientific riverbed mining in Sukhnag area and surroundings. Mining operations illegally conducted in Jammu and Kashmir have become an environmental concern of grave importance. In case the government intends to safeguard the vulnerable ecology of the area, it will have to ensure stringent measures for its monitoring and enforcement. The people living close to the rivers and streams must also take up environmental watch duties and report any mining activity. Not only is Kashmir a lovely place to live in, but it is also rich in natural resources and ecological resources. If the depletion of forests, wetland encroachment, water body pollution, and unlawful mining go unchecked, then there would come a time when this paradise on earth would lose its uniqueness and ecological balance. The environmental protection of Kashmir is not just the responsibility of the government; it is the responsibility of everyone living in paradise.
The Author is Senior Journalist/ Human Rights Activist
