‘500 trees dead, no accountability’: Kashmiri farmer’s plea against Ring Road construction reaches NGT

May 20, 2025 by News Desk

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A high-density apple orchard in Batpora Wathoora, Budgam, has become the focal point of a legal battle after its owner, Ghulam Nabi Bhat, moved the National Green Tribunal (NGT) against the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), a private contractor, and the Jammu Kashmir administration for alleged environmental negligence during road construction.

The orchard, once laden with fruit-bearing trees, was left submerged and dying after water drainage channels were blocked during the construction of the Srinagar Ring Road flyover.

“My land remained under water for more than a month. Around 500 apple trees, each about 7 to 8 years old, were destroyed,” Bhat said, visibly distraught. “They didn’t just ruin my orchard. They ruined my entire source of livelihood.”

Represented by Advocate Saurabh Sharma, Bhat filed an application with the NGT arguing that the construction firm NKC Projects Pvt Ltd, working under NHAI’s supervision, filled the land for the highway project without ensuring proper drainage. The result: sustained waterlogging that devastated nearly 6.5 kanals of orchard and farmland.

The NGT bench, comprising Justice Prakash Shrivastava (Chairperson), and expert members Dr. A. Senthil Veil and Dr. Afroz Ahmad, issued notices to all respondents on May 8, directing them to submit their responses by affidavit at least a week before the next hearing. “It’s a matter of both environmental and economic injustice,” Sharma told the tribunal, adding that the damage could have been avoided with “basic safeguards.”

The tribunal also allowed Bhat’s plea to make the Horticulture Department a party to the case. “We hope the department will come forward with a fair assessment of the loss and support corrective measures,” Sharma said.

Locals in Wathoora say the damage to Bhat’s orchard is not an isolated incident. “Many of us have suffered due to the unplanned work on the Ring Road,” said another farmer, who requested anonymity. “But no one has taken our concerns seriously—until now.”

The matter is now scheduled for further hearing on September 15, 2025. Bhat says he’s not just fighting for compensation, but also for accountability. “They built a road and buried our orchards in the process. Someone must answer for that,” he said.