Sand mining in water bodies of Samba, Kathua, Ganderbal
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Feb 5: Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has sought Action Taken Report from the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee (JKPCC) regarding the violations vis-à-vis sand mining in the water bodies of Samba, Kathua and Ganderbal districts.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
The menace of illegal mining in various rivers and water bodies particularly in Samba and Kathua districts of Jammu province and Ganderbal in Kashmir valley was exclusively highlighted by EXCELSIOR in its edition dated June 3, 2024.
The National Green Tribunal took suo-moto cognizance of the revelations and accordingly issued notices to Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&C), three Deputy Commissioners, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee (JKPCC) with the direction to file response.
In view of National Green Tribunal order dated July 16, 2024, the CPCB communicated with JKPCC vide letter dated August 8, 2024 to coordinate with concerned officer in districts of Kathua, Samba and Ganderbal and provide a report in the matter. Thereafter, reminders were sent on August 29, 2024 and September 27, 2024 respectively. However, JKPCC didn’t reply to CPCB.
Later, CPCB came to know that JKPCC has already submitted reply to the NGT informing about the communications made with respective Deputy Commissioners to provide status report. The JKPCC also constituted two teams to visit the affected areas and furnish reports in compliance of order dated July 16, 2024.
“The JKPCC has submitted in reply in this matter that status reports from Deputy Commissioners of Kathua, Samba and Ganderbal, Chief Engineer Jal Shakti Department and Director Geology and Mining are awaited. However, the team formed by JKPCC for one affected district of Kashmir division has pointed out violations of rules with regard to sand mining in Ganderbal district”, the CPCB has mentioned in a communication addressed to the National Green Tribunal.
The Central Pollution Control Board has informed the green panel that it has asked the JKPCC to provide Action Taken Report regarding the violations observed by the committee constituted by JKPCC.
The violations which have been pointed out by the committee of JKPCC are—improper demarcation of mining blocks, mining close to riverbanks without maintaining the required buffer zones, excavation beyond the permissible limit, threat of degradation of riverbeds due to excessive excavation and alteration of river morphology and harm to aquatic eco-systems and non-fulfillment of targeted plantation mentioned in the Environmental Clearance.
Further, the JKPCC team has pointed out absence of dust control measures, uncovered transport vehicles and non-compliance with Sustainable Sand Mining Guidelines.
It is pertinent to mention here that under Mines and Minerals (Development & Regulation), Act, 1957, the States and UTs are empowered to make the rules for regulating the grant of prospecting licenses or mining leases in respect of minor minerals and making rules for preventing illegal mining, transportation and storage of minerals.
Moreover, the Central Government has made it mandatory to obtain Environmental Clearance for mining minerals including sand mining. Even the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has released “Sustainable Sand Mining Management Guidelines 2016” to promote scientific mining of sand and encourage environmental friendly management practices.
For enforcement of the regulatory provisions related to river sand mining for effective monitoring and ensuring sustainable sand mining, the Ministry has even released “Enforcement and Monitoring Guidelines for Sand Mining”.
“As directed by the NGT, we have also issued directions to Environment Secretary of UT of J&K to evolve an appropriate mechanism for assessment of compensation in all the districts and for utilization of recovered compensation for restoration of environment by preparing appropriate action plan”, read the document of CPCB.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
