NGT panel finds 1.5 million tonnes of riverbed material illegally extracted from Kashmir’s Sukhnag

Supervisory Committee submits report after ground inspection; case listed on July 13 before NGT

New Delhi: A high-level supervisory team constituted by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in response to a petition moved by Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat has made a startling revelation that around 15 lakh tonnes of riverbed material (RMB), including boulders, sand, nallah muck and gravel, has been looted from the Sukhnag river in central Kashmir’s Beerwah area of Budgam district.

The panel of experts, led by senior officials and scientists from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment (NIHE), visited the site on March 18, 2026, and conducted a thorough inspection of the Sukhnag river at Sail and Kangripora villages.

The committee submitted its report through the Member Secretary of the J&K Pollution Control Committee (JKPCC). The tribunal will hear the case on July 13, 2026, and a final judgment is expected on that day.

Petitioner Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat has demanded criminal action against government officers who allegedly allowed the loot and caused environmental as well as economic loss to the state exchequer.

Earlier, a joint team from the MoEFCC, CPCB and JKPCC visited the site on December 26, 2024. Subsequently, the Deputy Commissioner of Budgam constituted another team headed by the SDM Beerwah and DFO Budgam. Both committees confirmed large-scale loot and plunder in the river due to illegal riverbed mining.

The illegal work was stopped in January 2025, after which the NGT constituted another committee that functioned as a supervisory committee. Noted NIHE scientist Dr. Sandipan Mukherjee was tasked with conducting a further inspection of the site along with officials from the MoEFCC and CPCB.

According to the findings, the impacted stretch of the Sukhnag showed signs of heavy alteration to the natural river course, raising concerns about long-term impacts on the local environment and river health. The expert committee noted that extraction activities appear to have significantly disturbed the riverbed and caused damage to the river landscape, flora, fauna, fisheries and natural aquifers.

The survey covered a section upstream of Sail Bridge, where officials recorded widespread excavation of boulders and gravel across a considerable area through deep trenching. Based on field assessments, the quantity of riverbed material excavated from the site exceeded 15 lakh tonnes, including boulders, sand, bajri, gravel and nallah muck.

“Based on an average excavation depth of 5.22 metres derived from field measurements, the total quantity of extracted riverbed material is estimated to be around 15.3 lakh tonnes. Even when a conservative depth of 3.86 metres is considered, the estimated extraction remains significantly high at approximately 10.62 lakh tonnes (as measured by GB Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment). These figures, although indicative, highlight the magnitude of extraction and warrant validation through high-resolution satellite imagery or drone-based surveys,” the report submitted by the J&K Pollution Control Committee before the NGT reads.

The report has recommended a moratorium on all mining activities within 5 km upstream and downstream of Sail Bridge, up to Beerwah town, in the designated trout zone until the river system is adequately restored.

The committee has also called for strict implementation of the Sustainable Sand Mining Management Guidelines, 2016, and the Enforcement and Monitoring Guidelines for Sand Mining, 2020, issued by the MoEFCC.

Suggestions include filling deep trenches and re-levelling riverbed sediments to restore the natural bed profile and ensure uniform, uninterrupted flow of water. The report also recommends installing real-time monitoring mechanisms such as CCTV and surveillance systems at identified mining hotspots to curb illegal and night-time mining, in line with the Enforcement and Monitoring Guidelines, 2020.

The report further states: “Undertake comprehensive river restoration measures, including riverbed re-profiling, substrate restoration, and rehabilitation of fish breeding and feeding habitats. Initiate restocking of trout and indigenous fish species through coordinated efforts of the Fisheries Department. Carry out riparian plantation and bank stabilization measures in consultation with the Forest Department to reduce erosion and enhance ecological health. Ensure regular monitoring by the Task Force to effectively curb illegal mining activities in the area.”

The report has also confirmed the loss of around 2,000 fish at the fish farm of Perzada Rayees, amounting to a financial loss of approximately Rs 3 lakh.

“I am satisfied with the report of the expert panel and hope that the NGT will impose massive environmental compensation on the authorities who allowed this loot and plunder. Criminal action should be taken against the officials who gave permissions for mining to NKC Projects Pvt. Ltd. The area around Sukhnag should be restored, and affected fish farmer Perzada Rayees should be adequately compensated with compound interest,” said Dr Raja Muzaffar, the petitioner in the case.