Allegation of illegal mining in Pulwama’s Nallah Romshi resurface, officials deny

Pulwama, Jun 29: Allegations of illegal riverbed mining in Nallah Romshi, a key tributary of the Jhelum River in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, have resurfaced despite previous regulatory orders halting such activity.

Climate activist Raja Muzaffar alleged that extraction had resumed in the Gudoora Newa area, in violation of a directive issued last year by the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee (JKPCC), following an intervention by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), India’s top environmental court. “After NGT’s intervention, JKPCC had directed @dcpulwama to stop riverbed mining in Nallah Romshi last year. This illegal work has again started some days back in Gudoora Newa,” Muzaffar posted on social media platform X, sharing a video that appears to show heavy machinery engaged in extraction. “Romshi is already overexploited. Kindly stop this criminal act,” he added.

Officials, however, have denied the allegations. “There is no illegal activity taking place at the site. The area is under regular monitoring, and any operations are being carried out in accordance with the law,” said Dr Khursheed Ahmad, District Mineral Officer (DMO) Pulwama.

Ahmad said that the district administration had acted firmly against illegal extraction across the district, including in Nallah Romshi and Rambiara. “We have confiscated 17 L&T machines and 50 vehicles including dumpers, tippers, and JCBs over the last few weeks,” he said, adding that fines were also imposed on violators. The Pulwama district administration had not issued an official statement as of Sunday evening. Muzaffar, however, said that the JKPCC had completely banned mining in Nallah Romshi following the NGT’s intervention. “And in case it is to be done, it must be manual—not with heavy machinery, as is clearly seen in the videos,” he told Greater Kashmir. He also cited the Jammu and Kashmir Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 2016, which he said permit only manual extraction in such areas.