Kashmir industrialists decry ‘arbitrary’ pollution control notices, seek immediate halt

Srinagar, Oct 18: Industrial bodies across the Kashmir Valley have sharply criticised what they describe as “arbitrary and coercive” notices issued by the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee (JKPCC) to a large number of local manufacturing and service units over alleged consent violations. The Federation of Chambers of Industries Kashmir (FCIK) has formally taken up the issue with Forest Minister Javed Ahmad Rana, urging immediate intervention to halt what it called a “heavy-handed regulatory overreach.”

According to industrial representatives, the Regional Director (Kashmir) of JKPCC has served dozens of legal notices to enterprises for not obtaining or renewing their Consent to Establish and Consent to Operate permissions under environmental laws. The move, they said, has caused widespread concern among small and medium entrepreneurs.

Syed Fazal Illahi, President of the Kashmir Small Scale Industrial Association (Baghi Ali Mardan Khan), said the notices were issued “indiscriminately” and carried a tone that “violates basic legal principles.” “The language and tone of the notices are deeply disturbing,” he said, adding that industrial units have been “directly declared as operating illegally without any opportunity to respond or present their case.”

Illahi further noted that copies of these notices were also marked to the General Manager of the District Industries Centre (DIC), Srinagar, with instructions to de-register the concerned units even before any formal hearing had taken place. “This is a blatant violation of natural justice and procedural fairness,” he said, pointing out that such unilateral action presumes guilt and undermines due process.

The Federation of Chambers of Industries Kashmir (FCIK), the Valley’s apex industrial body, has strongly objected to what it termed as “pre-emptive and disproportionate enforcement” by the JKPCC. FCIK President Shahid Kamili said the Regional Director’s actions “prematurely treated preliminary observations as final findings, which is both inappropriate and unjustified".

Recognising the seriousness of the issue, a delegation of the FCIK led by Kamili met Forest Minister Javed Ahmad Rana to register its protest against what it called an “intimidating” approach by the Pollution Control Committee. The delegation told the Minister that the JKPCC had bypassed standard regulatory practice by skipping advisories or warnings and instead resorted directly to threats of prosecution, penalties, and closure—even for minor or first-time lapses.

“The notices lack inspection reports, evidence, or verifiable documentation, denying units a fair chance to respond or contest the claims,” the delegation said, adding that the involvement of DICs in recommending de-registration was “a clear case of jurisdictional overreach.”

The FCIK further warned that such actions contradict the government’s stated objectives of promoting Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and improving the ease of doing business in Jammu and Kashmir. “Rather than fostering a supportive industrial climate, these arbitrary measures erode investor confidence and breed distrust between the business community and regulatory institutions,” the delegation observed.

In response, Minister Javed Ahmad Rana assured the industrial representatives that “no industrial unit would be unfairly harmed” and promised to convene a high-level meeting involving the FCIK to address concerns over JKPCC’s recent actions. He also assured that “no stringent action would be taken” on the issued notices until the matter is resolved amicably.

The FCIK, while reaffirming its commitment to environmental compliance and sustainable industrial growth, said it “will not accept arbitrary actions, intimidation, or procedural abuse against our industrial community.” “We’re ready to cooperate for sustainable development,” the delegation told the Minister, “but regulation must be fair, transparent, and within the bounds of law.”