Beerwah, Mar 18: An expert committee constituted by the National Green Tribunal on Wednesday visited the Sukhnag stream in the Sail area of Beerwah sub-division in Budgam district to assess damage caused by illegal riverbed mining.
The committee, comprising senior scientist Dr Sandeepan Mukherjee from the G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Khurshid Alam, Director in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, carried out a detailed inspection of the riverbed, embankments, and adjoining grazing land. Officials noted that these areas have suffered extensive damage over the past three to four years due to alleged illegal mining activities by NKC Projects Pvt Ltd.
The visit follows intervention by noted environmental activist Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat, who had approached the NGT in 2024 seeking action against the mining activities. Acting on the plea, the tribunal had imposed a complete ban on mining in January last year after a team from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change inspected the site on December 26, 2024.
Subsequently, a district-level inspection committee was constituted by the Deputy Commissioner Budgam under the chairmanship of the SDM Beerwah. The report of this committee was recently submitted to the NGT through the J&K Pollution Control Committee.
During the course of hearings, the tribunal-appointed expert panel sought an on-site assessment of the Sukhnag stream, leading to Wednesday’s visit. The committee is expected to submit its report to the NGT by March 23. The matter is listed for hearing on March 27, when the tribunal is likely to reserve its final judgment.
The expert team was assisted by officials from various departments, including the Sub-Divisional Magistrate Beerwah, Divisional Forest Officer Budgam, officers from the Flood Control and Revenue departments, Assistant Director Fisheries, District Mineral Officer Budgam, and SHO Beerwah.
The inspection was also attended by the petitioner Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat, along with local residents of Sail Beerwah, senior citizens, and social activists, including Mir Mushtaq and Muzaffar Ahmad, who raised concerns over the environmental degradation caused by prolonged illegal mining in the area.
