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.

Jammu, Mar 18: Army’s Northern Commander Lt Gen Pratik Sharma on Wednesday visited a forward post along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district and reviewed the operational preparedness of troops, officials said.

The General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, also lauded the troops for their alertness and foiling an infiltration attempt last week.

“Lt Gen Sharma visited Jhangar Battalion on successful conduct of Operation Balliyan wherein the alert troops successfully eliminated the infiltration attempt.

“While reviewing the security situation, operational preparedness and interaction with all ranks, the Army Commander commended them for professionalism and resolute commitment towards ensuring peace and stability in the region,” the Northern Command said in a post on X.

On March 10, a heavily-armed Pakistani terrorist was killed in an abortive attempt to infiltrate into Indian side from across the border in Nowshera sector.

Jammu, Mar 18: The Neurosurgery Department at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Jammu has marked a new achievement by successfully executing a highly intricate reconstructive surgery on a 15-year-old girl from Pathankot, who was suffering from a rare bony tumour affecting her forehead and eye socket.

The surgery, which involved weeks of meticulous planning, was conducted by Dr Kanav Gupta and Dr Shaurya Darbari, Assistant Professors in the Neurosurgery Department, with support from the anaesthesia team led by Dr Raksha Kundal, Associate Professor and Dr Aleesha, Assistant Professor (Department of Anaesthesia).

The young patient, according to doctors, was diagnosed with an aneurysmal bone cyst, a benign yet aggressive tumour that resulted in a noticeable facial deformity and a gradual loss of vision. This condition had a significant impact on her self-esteem, even preventing her from attending school. The case was particularly challenging due to the tumour’s tendency to bleed heavily, and in this instance, it was also invading the brain and receiving a part of its blood supply from the healthy brain.

During the procedure, several advanced technologies were utilised. Intraoperative navigation assisted the surgeons in accurately identifying the tumour’s deep extensions around the eye socket. A cell saver system was employed to collect, purify, and re-infuse the patient’s own blood, eliminating the need for extensive blood transfusions.

After the complete removal of the tumour, the bony defect was reconstructed using a titanium graft. The eyebrow area, essential for cosmetic appearance, was carefully reconstructed using a quick-setting polymer bone putty, moulded during the operation to match the natural shape and contour of the opposite eyebrow.

“The young girl has made a good recovery and is now ready to be discharged with restored facial symmetry and vision, a transformative change for her and her family,” the doctors stated.

Reflecting on the achievement, Dr Shaurya Darbari, officiating Head of the Department of Neurosurgery, stated, “This case underscores the progress our department has made since its establishment just seven months ago. We have been tackling highly challenging cases many deemed inoperable elsewhere and have already performed over 120 neurosurgeries. Patients from Jammu, Kashmir, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh are now coming here for advanced neurosurgical care. The pace of growth and innovation has been very encouraging.”

Prof (Dr) D N Sharma, Executive Director and CEO of AIIMS Jammu, expressed pride in the accomplishment, saying, “The success of the neurosurgery team is a source of great pride for the entire institute. Until recently, patients from this region had to travel long distances to AIIMS New Delhi or PGIMER Chandigarh for complex brain and spinal surgeries, often facing long waiting periods. That expertise is now available right here in Jammu and this achievement reflects AIIMS Jammu’s commitment to delivering world-class healthcare locally.”