The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken decisive action against illegal clay mining in the Karewas of Budgam, issuing a notice to the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Government, represented by the Chief Secretary, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and construction company NKC Projects Pvt Ltd.
This follows accusations of environmental damage and disruption to local agriculture due to the construction of the Srinagar Ring Road.
The notice was issued by a three-member Principal Bench of the NGT, chaired by Justice Prakash Shrivastava, with Judicial Member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and Expert Member Dr. Afroz Ahmad also present. The application was filed by residents of Wathoora, Budgam, including Bashir Ahmad Bhat, represented by Advocates Saurabh Sharma and Bijay Kumar.
“The grievance of the applicants is that on account of the construction of Srinagar Ring Road passing through Village Wathoora, Tehsil Chadoora in District Budgam, Jammu and Kashmir, the flooding of the apple orchards of the applicant has taken place,” reads the May 27 NGT notice. “The counsel for the applicant submits that the water channel has been blocked due to the road construction, resulting in waterlogging and flooding, which has damaged approximately three acres of the applicants’ orchard land. This claim is supported by photographs included in the original application.”
The petitioners also pointed out the dust pollution caused by the highway construction, which they claim is negatively affecting orchards and crops in several villages, including Khanda Suthsoo, Gowherpora, Wathora Bugam, Lalgam, Ganjibagh, Lal Gund, Gudsathoo, Wulnu, Ichgam, and Dharmunad. The affected crops include apple orchards, fruit plant nurseries, oats, peas, and mustard.
The order continues: “The applicant also claims that during the construction process, reckless excavation of clay from Karewas, a unique geological formation in Kashmir, has harmed the ecology. The original application raises significant issues regarding compliance with environmental norms. Respondents are required to file their response at least one week before the next hearing date via email at judicial-ngt@gov.in, preferably as a searchable PDF/OCR Support PDF rather than an Image PDF.”
The residents of Wathoora and neighboring villages have welcomed the NGT’s intervention. “We hope to get justice from this court as the local administration has failed to address our grievance,” said Dr. Raja Muzaffar, a social activist from Budgam who has been actively highlighting this issue. “We approached various government officials, including the SDM Chadoora, the Chief Horticulture Officer, and the construction company, but no action was taken. Even the Chairman of DDC Budgam wrote an official letter to the Chairman of NHAI, but there was no response, forcing us to seek judicial intervention from the NGT.”
The NGT’s involvement is a significant step towards addressing the environmental and agricultural concerns of the residents, who have struggled to have their voices heard. The case is scheduled for a hearing on September 11, 2024.