Karewas now looted to excavate sand ?
Due to urbanisation and population growth there is more demand for building material, especially sand. The sand deposits in Kashmir’s rivers, streams have almost vanished as these water bodies have been overexploited in the last 15-20 years. The illegal sand mining and excavation of other riverbed material like gravel, muck, boulders increased manifold in last 5 to 6 years; we suffered damage for last 20 to 30 years ? As Govt took up several construction projects like expansion of NH-44 from Qazigund to Srinagar, setting up of new highway around Pampore -Lasjan section and Srinagar Semi Ring Road, lot of riverbeds were exploited.
The works taken up under PMGSY, NREGA etc., have devastated our streams; surprisingly nothing has gone into the state exchequer. This is simply a loot. The sand that was available in rivers and streams has almost vanished in many districts and people associated with this trade are eyeing on Karewas which have sand and gravel deposits in many areas especially district Budgam. Earlier the Karewas were only used for Clay Mining – but for the last 3 to 4 years sand mining in Karewas has increased manifold and this is proving to be disastrous. Neither the Geology and Mining Department nor other law enforcing agencies are serious about this issue.
There is huge corruption involved in this entire process and some officials from Revenue Department, Police, Mining and even Forest Departments are working in league with the people involved in this heinous crime. People are also reluctant to bring the matter into the notice of authorities as they believe that every Govt official is corrupt. But this is not the case at all as we have very upright and honest Govt officials as well who are much concerned about illegal mining and destruction of our natural resources.
Sand mining on forest-karewa land
On Friday, April 25, 2025, I along with some friends were driving through Darwan village in Chararsharief district Budgam. As we reached near Chalyan village something caught my eye. A small hillock by the roadside had been razed to ground. It seemed as if the place had been bombarded. We pulled over and got out of the car. Sand was scattered everywhere. Deep gashes in the earth showed the tell-tale signs of JCB cranes and tipper trucks. Although there was no activity at that moment, Friday being a day of rest for labourers, the damage was fresh. Locals told me that the excavation had been happening daily, especially after the Pahalgam incident; that diverted the police and administration’s attention. They work day and night, I was told, using gazetted holidays, shutdown, and tragedies as cover.
I took videos and photographs and immediately posted them online, tagging the Geology and Mining Department. Predictably, they didn’t respond. Only Waseem Gul, the Divisional Forest Officer of Pir Panjal Forest Division, replied to my message. He promised action. The responsibility to stop illegal mining lies with the District Mineral Officers (DMOs) of the Geology and Mining Department. But many of them, it appears, are working hand in glove with the mafia. For years, I’ve been raising alarm over destruction of karewas and riverbeds across Budgam and elsewhere, but there has been no serious action.
Police files FIR
On the recommendation of the Forest Department and with kind cooperation of CCF, DFO, SDPO Chararsharif , SHO, Range Officer and Block Forest Officer Nilnag Mohammad Aslam, an FIR was registered on April 28th 2025 against two individuals involved in illegal sand mining. The accused persons’ hydraulic excavator- JCB was also seized the next day. Post Pahalgam carnage the illegal sand and clay mining work had been intensified in many areas of Kashmir; unscrupulous elements taking advantage of the police and administration being preoccupied with maintaining order during in the aftermath of the tragedy. The FIR No. 26/2025, dated 28.04.2025 has been lodged at Police Station Chararsharief under Section 303(2) BNS and Section 26 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927, for theft and destruction of forest property.
Working in Coordination
The Police and Forest officers did a good job in bringing culprits to justice in this instant case. I want to ask the forest officers posted in this area in the past, why they never reported illegal sand excavation in Karewas / mountain zones falling under their jurisdiction? I think this needs to be probed and the amount of damage caused should be estimated. Similarly the Police Department also needs to work in coordination with the Forest and Mining Department to ensure illegal work is stopped and I would request Principal Chief Conservator of Forests J&K Mr Suresh Gupta to take up this with DGP JKP Mr Nalin Prabhat. It is shameful that such criminals chose to loot forest land while the entire country was mourning the death of 26 tourists.
Conclusion
Sand and clay is much required for construction purposes but authorities need to streamline it so that there is no loss to state exchequer or environment? How can any person come and start excavating sand and clay from karewas or mountain zones for weeks and months and sell that @Rs 10,000 per truck in open market? Who has given such people this right? How can Govt officials remain silent when they are paid to uphold the law? Govt must come up with a policy or law so that sand and clay excavation is done in a sustainable way with no loss to state exchequer. The amount of money the criminals have earned from sale of sand or clay should be realised and deposited into the state exchequer. The J&K Anti Corruption Bureau-ACB can play a good role in exposing this nexus.
Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat is an Acumen Fellow and Chairman J&K Climate Action Group. He is Founder of Jammu & Kashmir RTI Movement.
