Mehr-u-Nisa
Khunmoh area of the summer capital Srinagar has long been witnessing rise in pollution given the presence of cement plants and other industries, causing a threat to the environment.
It is pertinent to mention that there’s also been an increase in the number of stone crushers in the area. The locals of Khunmoh, however, have been demanding shut down of these crushers.
The locals say that the haphazard development of industrial units including the cement factories and stone crushers in the area without following pollution control norms has given rise to the emission of hazardous gases.
According to the locals, this has not only endangered human life but even faint-bearing trees of the area have been adversely impacted, resulting in a reduction of fruits by up to 80%.
The locals say that they approached the Divisional Commissioner and submitted an application to him on July 12, 2018. However, they received no response on the matter.
After a couple of years on January 12, 2021, the inhabitants of Khunmoh approached the Jammu and Kashmir High Court and registered a case so that the permission for installation of a new cement factory and crusher machines in the area is not granted, since the rising pollution had caused them a lot of discomforts. The High Court issued a PIL (Public Interest Litigation) in March 2021 in response.
Later, an application was filed at the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Board by the residents. In response, the Board conducted a scientific survey in Khunmoh and an order was passed by JKPCB that “pollution rate in Khunmoh is very high and no crusher and mining will be made for two years until the outcome of the revised carrying capacity study of such areas is carried out, indicating improvement in the Comprehensive Environment Pollution Index (CPEI).”
The JKPCB, further in this order, said that the Dachigam National Park comes in close proximity to Khunmoh and there has also been an outcry about pollution and deteriorating air quality in the area.
A local, while talking to The Kashmiriyat, said, “Instead of following the orders or the norms and guidelines issued by the JKPCB, SHK crushers, whose owner is Farooq Ahmad started crushing two months after the order passed by JKPCB. After which, another crusher namely MBA crushers (in Khunmoh) and Zafran Enterprise (at Dachigam) started crushing and digging out rocks during the night.”
The locals told The Kashmiriyat, “The area where these crushers are located happens to be home to a community and a school. 75% of the inhabitants of Khunmoh residing close to mine dumps are suffering from TB, Asthma, and lung diseases as inhaling dust and noxious fumes make them vulnerable to pulmonary diseases. This matter was taken to various officials but nobody pays heed to it.”
There are around 10 thousand deaths in Jammu Kashmir that are attributed to air pollution yearly, official figures state.
Particulate matter 2.5 (PM 2.5) exposure is responsible for almost 10,000 deaths, hence it needs to be countered in order to be under control.
“Air quality index in Kashmir is deteriorating progressively, particularly throughout the winter, and in the last few days, it has gone from moderate to severe, necessitating immediate intervention,” he added.
In this matter, The Kashmiriyat reached an Ecological expert, Waseem Ahmed Bhat who happens to be a research fellow at Kashmir University, in order to enquire further about crushing, mining, and the ecological effects it can cause.
He told The Kashmiriyat that a stone crusher plant usually cuts a rock into different sizes of stone, mostly used on construction sites. “After cutting, the crushed stones are loaded in trucks, causing a lot of dust. It has been proved in several circumstances that the stone crusher is among the biggest threats to the environment, leading to adverse ill effects on health.
He further added, “Mining and crushing can cause various occupational diseases like cancer, skin diseases, lung diseases and can also lead to hearing loss because of the noise. It can also disturb the ecological balance and is also capable of reducing the agricultural production to some extent.”
The locals requested the concerned authorities of the UT administration to take the matter into their consideration and start an investigation into the issue at the soonest. They also demanded strict action against people involved in these activities.
Meanwhile, The Kashmiriyat contacted an Official from JKPCB. The official said that another order was passed on March 03, 2022, by the JKPCB, allowing the setup of industries following the norms and guidelines.
“The industries other than those falling in revised classification of Industrial Sector Area were not allowed to establish taking into consideration the eco-sensitivity of the area and the high Air Pollution Index, which can have an adverse impact on the environment and health of the people,” he added.
However, the official did said that there was no crusher or mining company on the said list. “We had no idea that crushing and mining were still going on in Khunmoh, Srinagar. If such things happen in Khunmoh, we will take harsh measures against the industry,” he told The Kashmiriyat.