The Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday informed the Legislative Assembly that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has been asked to recover Rs 12.30 crore in environmental compensation from the pending bills of NKC Projects Pvt Ltd for alleged illegal mining and environmental violations in Shaliganga Nallah in Budgam’s Chadoora area.
The information was provided in a written reply to a starred question raised by Chadoora MLA Ali Mohammad Dar.
According to the government, the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee (JKPCC) had imposed environmental compensation on NKC Projects for violating the conditions of its environmental clearance during mining operations in Shaliganga.
The reply said the company had not deposited the compensation amount and had instead filed a writ petition before the High Court challenging the JKPCC order. The matter is currently pending before the court.
The government also said NHAI has been requested to recover the compensation amount from the company’s pending bills.
Environmental activist Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat, who was the petitioner in the Shaliganga mining case before the National Green Tribunal and later the Supreme Court, said the compensation was initially fixed at Rs 3.10 crore by the JKPCC in February this year.
He said the compensation has now increased to Rs 12.30 crore under the “Polluter Pays Principle” mentioned in the JKPCC order, alleging that the amount doubles if it is not deposited within the stipulated time.
Bhat claimed it was unclear whether NHAI had acted on the JKPCC communication seeking recovery of the amount from the company’s pending payments.
He also questioned the government’s statement that the matter was sub judice, alleging that the High Court had not stayed the JKPCC’s environmental compensation order.
Bhat urged the government and NHAI to recover the compensation and use the funds for ecological restoration of Shaliganga Nallah at Panzan, which he alleged was extensively damaged during mining operations in 2021-22.
