Environmental Catastrophe: Illegal Mining in Kashmir
By: Asma Arshad
In the idyllic landscapes of Jammu and Kashmir, a silent bane undermines the environment and the rule of law. In the past few years, illegal mining in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir has emerged as an appalling challenge, with grave implications for the ecological balance and local communities.
As Kashmir is exalted with abundant deposits of minor mineral resources, masonry stones, sand, boulder, bajri and clay. The perennial left and right bank tributaries of Jhelum basin have rich deposits of minor minerals like boulders, which are extracted for construction purposes, there is a wide scope of mineral resources counting limestone, gypsum, dolomite, quartzite, marble, slate and so forth as a consequence illegal riverbed mining coupled with desultory extraction of mineral resources with heavy machinery is taking a heavy toll on Kashmir’s feeble ecosystem.
With the abrogation of article 370, the move has given an opportunity to external entities to swamp the mining sector in the region, spelling a downfall for locals and the environment. Natural resources and people are becoming victims of this predatory capitalism. Illegal mining is an open secret in this belt, yet there is hardly anyone who raises a concern about it.
Given the valley’s abundant mineral resources including riverbed minerals, coal, limestone, and gypsum, it has become a prime target for illegal miners who exploit these resources without regard for the environmental consequences. This insidious practice not only depletes natural resources at an unsustainable rate but also leads to environmental degradation, disrupting the local ecology and posing serious health risks to nearby population. The illegal mining operations often take place in ecologically sensitive areas, accelerating soil erosion, disturbing wildlife habitats, and polluting water sources
Many environmental concerns are the testimony that illegal mining in Kashmir has created mayhem with the environment of the valley. Overexploiting the mineral resources by unchecked mining and absence of proper synchronization and regulations leaves the environment of the valley in ruins.
Incessant sand mining has been taking place in different regions of Kashmir, where heavy machinery is being used to extract sand from rivers and canals. With disastrous consequences for the environment, much of this activity has been taking place in the Rimbiara and Veshav rivers, which also function as tributaries to the Jhelum.
Getting across the river Jhelum converging to Bijhama village in the Baramulla district we witness big dumper trucks ferrying gypsum from the mountain mines, they make the road droop and thus becomes vicious for smaller vehicles. Sniffing in gypsum smoke and the load hammering of the heavy machinery becomes treacherous for the people residing along the mountain mines.
Sixty per cent of the village suffers from respiratory conditions, including asthma. Heavy machinery has escalated the problems, unsound mining practices have exacerbated landslides. Rock-breakers over-exploit minerals and cause excessive pollution. Limestone dust and quarry slurry in the air and water causes a great destruction to the environment and inculcate many ailments in the people living nearby.
People who live along the gypsum mountains in remote areas say that unlike the small-scale mining of the past, big (and illegal) miners are spreading illness and pollution. Moving north-west towards Uri, closer to the Gypsum Mountains, Gypsum has contributed to transforming Uri from a village in the eighties into a small town.
Around the clock JCBs, big trucks and heavy machinery bring down the forests or strip the mountains of their precious ore and transport it as pale yellow boulders to industries on the plains. The area is noisy and has created pools of toxic slurry. Locals have complained that mining has made diseases more prevalent.
Adjoining towns and villages, Bhagna, Naloosa, Jabadar, ZamboorPattan, Dara Gutilian and Dachina Salambad close to the line of control also have open mines and therefore they fall prey to the rampant mining. The Kazinag National Park in the Baramulla district is close by. It is home to the bearded, long-haired endangered Markhor from the goat family whose habitat traverses the LOC. Kazinag is at a shouting distance from several mining sites, some dangerous, near Markhor habitats and breeding areas. The mines operated near the sanctuary pollutes the water, causes deforestation and noise pollution causing shifting of the markhor species.
Many irrigation canals and water channels crisscrossing the apple-rich belts of Shopian are running dry due to illegal and unchecked mining of rivers. Mining by heavy machines has left deep and wide craters in many river beds in Kashmir. Experts warn that this could destroy the environment to such an extent that it will become impossible to fix the situation.
Hitherto brick kilns have destroyed Kashmir’s paddy land and almond orchards in Karewa land have been wasted due to clay mining. Illegal mining is fast silting up Hokersar wetland as Doodh Ganga passes through this wetland, which is a designated Ramsar site.
Flow of silt has also converted a vast chunk of Hokersar wetland into marsh, disturbing the habitat of lakhs of migratory birds. River bed mining is done both on a small and large-scale.
Small-scale mining utilizes tools such as shovels and wheelbarrows while large-scale mining involves heavy machinery such as hydraulic dredges and bulldozers. Mining on a large scale involving heavy-duty machinery is increasing exponentially. Nowadays, the impact of sand mining is gaining global concern.
The unauthorized mining has challenged the veracity and future of rivers as never before. The speed and degree of such alterations are so great that large-scale, and possibly irreversible alterations may succeed in periods of years to decades, with ecosystem collapse likely in some big river systems. This raises the question of the sustainability of river bed mining because of anticipated changes in riverine ecosystems.
River Jhelum, its tributaries, and flood plains are the only source of sand, boulders, and gravel in the Kashmir valley. The river has abundant quantities of materials that are being mined conveniently and economically for a variety of uses. The river has been a source of mineral aggregates in the form of sand, boulders, and gravel since time immemorial.
However, during the past few decades due to fast urbanization and infrastructural development in the valley of Kashmir, the river is being largely exploited for the extraction of minerals especially gravel and sand. Also because of the limited economic options in the Kashmir valley, the people have crooked their emphasis on sand mining to complement their low income. This has resulted in large-scale authorized and unauthorized exploitation of river bed materials.
Consequently, the socio-economic and environmental impacts on the communities and ecosystems around the river have been quite evident. Keeping in view the rampant degradation of riverine ecosystems due to mining, we estimated the volume of materials mined and evaluated the socio-economic and environmental impacts of river bed mining in the Jhelum basin.
Indiscriminate river sand mining directly influences the shape of the riverbed. This often results in many indirect and cumulative effects on the physical characteristics and the dynamic equilibrium of erosion and sedimentation of a river.
The effects of river sand mining extend beyond the immediate mining sites. A stable riverbed is one of the conditions that ensures the (long-term) survival of many species. The sand layer on the solid riverbed is a hospitable environment for many microorganisms.
Removal of the sand means instability and a loss of habitat for these organisms. Aquatic vegetation and microorganisms play an important role in maintaining the balance and health of the river’s biological environment and when the balance in this ecosystem is disturbed it can be pushed to or crossed over a tipping point. The extraction of sand stirs up the water and increases turbidity. This, in turn, blocks sunlight and reduces respiration and photosynthesis, but can also block respiratory organs of aquatic animals. River sand mining does not alter the chemical properties of the sand but it does alter the local and downstream water quality.
The extraction of sand from wet mining pits stirs up the water and induces cloud forming of fine organic and inorganic particles. Both the water and air quality are severely degraded by fuel and oil spills and exhaust fumes respectively from the machinery that is used for excavation and transport. This pollution affects the aquatic life, plants, animals and humans. River sands can contain contaminants, and especially finer sand can accumulate more toxic elements and river sand can inherit contaminants from other activities upstream in the catchment, for instance, mining or other anthropogenic activities including agriculture.
Indiscriminate sand mining is the major causative factor of drinking water problems in any area. The pits created by sand mining activities collect and store stagnant water during the raining season, which then serve as breeding ground for pests, such as mosquitoes, and other water borne insects. Just like the deterioration of the water quality, this can impact the health and livelihood of people living in and around the area. Riverbed mining also bring woes for Kashmir’s fishes.
The fisheries sector linked to Kashmir’s rivers supports over 93,000 people. Increasing mechanised riverbed mining in the river Jhelum and its tributaries to extract gravel, boulders, and sand has threatened fish habitats. Riverbed mining, solid waste pollution and human activities pose a risk to fish populations and the people who depend on them.
Illegal mining of sand or gravel from the riverbeds is also a major cause; it causes the destruction of the habitat where the fish species is feeding or breeding. It destroys breeding as well as feeding grounds of the fishes. On the banks of river Lidder in the outskirts of Pahalgam, sewage and construction waste are also altering the freshwater habitats.
The extensive riverbed mining alters the topography of the river, affecting water sources, drying up farmland, sometimes even leading to the death of mining workers. Many paddy fields have turned into a patch of weed. Mining creates deep pits in a riverbed and sometimes causes it to sink downwards, affecting the flow of the river. As a consequence the river’s connections with the underground water table are also disrupted. The first impact is always on the vegetation growing on or near the river banks as the river is a source of its nourishment.
Despite the regulations in place, like the National Mineral Policy (NMP) of 1993 and subsequent amendments, which include restrictions on mining depth, infrastructure development, environmental risk compensation, and employment regulations for locals, the lack of effective monitoring and enforcement has allowed unchecked mining activities to persist.
This has resulted in the depletion of natural resources and the disruption of ecosystems in the region. Unchecked mining poses significant risks, including the potential for floods like those experienced in September 2014, damage to fertile agricultural lands, health hazards, social conflicts, and ecosystem disturbances.
Moreover, this situation could escalate into a water crisis and adversely impact the livelihoods of the inhabitants. Kashmir although having an abundant mineral wealth, is grappling with persistent environmental and economic issues due to rampant mining of resources such as sand, gravel, pebbles, and soil from its land and waterways. Without a shift towards sustainable management, these practices threaten the delicate balance of the region’s ecosystems, its ability to withstand climate change, and the well-being of its communities.
Environmental Impacts
- Loss of Fertile Land: Mining beyond the base level of erosion shrinks the water table and can lead to the drying up of wells and the deepening of the water table, potentially transforming fertile lands into barren areas. Mining activities that involve the removal of vegetation and soil layers expose the land to erosion, resulting in degraded fertility. This process contributes to increased sedimentation in rivers and streams, impacting water quality and elevating the risk of floods.
- Ecosystem Vulnerability: Excessive mining and sand extraction from water bodies can have detrimental effects on ecosystems, resulting in habitat loss for various plant and animal species. This disruption in biodiversity can lead to a decline in fish and other aquatic populations. The aquatic ecosystems are especially vulnerable to these activities. The degradation caused by mining activities poses a significant threat to the environment, wildlife, and the livelihoods of those dependent on these natural resources.
- Health Hazards: Mining activities often involve the use of chemicals like cyanide and sulphuric acid, which can seep into nearby water bodies, leading to pollution. These chemicals, when leaked or spilt from mining sites, contaminate the water, posing serious health risks to both humans and aquatic life.
Additionally, the extraction processes in mining can increase water turbidity, which harms aquatic ecosystems by reducing water clarity and quality. This pollution not only affects aquatic life negatively but also diminishes the availability of clean water for local communities, highlighting the detrimental impact of mining on water resources and ecosystems.
- Climate Impact: The degradation of natural landscapes and ecosystems, particularly through activities like flora, and fauna loss and habitat destruction, diminishes the region’s resilience to climate change impacts such as floods and landslides. These actions not only reduce the area’s natural ability to withstand environmental stresses but also contribute to increased carbon emissions, further intensifying global climate change challenges. The loss of biodiversity and disruption of ecosystems due to deforestation and habitat destruction have far-reaching consequences, highlighting the critical importance of preserving natural habitats for climate resilience and mitigating climate change effects.
5.Acid drainage It is generally acknowledged that one of the major environmental problems facing the mining industry is the formation of acid drainage and the associated mobilisation of contaminants. Commonly called acid mine drainage or acid rock drainage (ARD) primarily depends on the mineralogy of the rocks and the availability of water and oxygen. AMD occurs at mine sites when metal sulphide minerals are oxidised.
Before mining, oxidation of these minerals and the formation of sulphuric acid is a (slow) function of natural weathering processes. Natural discharge from such deposits poses little threat to aquatic ecosystems except in rare instances. Mining and beneficiation operations greatly increase the rate of these same chemical reactions by removing sulphide rock overburden material and exposing the material to air and water.
- Impacts on air quality: Air erosion on the dump is very low compared to water erosion but it also degrades the air environment of the mine leasehold area as well as outside the boundary. During the course of water erosion, material gets loosened and makes it susceptible to air erosion. The primary air pollutant of concern at mining sites is particulate matter. US/EPA has established National Ambient Air Quality Standards for particulate matter with a diameter of less than 10 microns.
Operation of heavy earth moving machinery in the overburden dumps generate huge amount of dust and the high wind velocity moves the dust particle to the nearby residential areas which creates a lot of problems.
- Effect on aquatic life: The nallas ultimately terminate into river or reservoir. There the water pollution is caused due to increase in total solids, other minerals and leachates from the dumps. This results in reduction of dissolved oxygen of water. This in turn affects the aquatic life. Discoloration of water is another facet of pollution from aesthetic point of view. The types of impacts associated with erosion and sedimentation are numerous, typically producing both short-term and long-term impacts. In surface waters, elevated concentrations of particulate matter in the water column can produce both chronic and acute toxic effects in fish and other aquatic life.
8.Noise pollution: The heavy earth moving machinery operations in the overburden handling leads to an increase in the noise levels in the nearby residential areas also. However, at the planning stage the proper selection of the dumpsite can eliminate noise impacts to the residents.
- Impacts on water quality: One of the problems that can be associated with mining operations is the release of pollutants to surface waters. Many activities and sources associated with a dumpsite can contribute toxic and non-toxic materials to surface waters. The mobility of the pollutants from these sources is magnified by exposure to rainfall and snowfall.
The eventual discharge of surface runoff, produced from rainfall and snow melts, is one mechanism by which pollutants are released into the surface waters. Pumped out water from the sump goes outside the leasehold boundary and siltation of nallah and other retaining structure is caused due to erosion of overburden dumps by rainfall. This also results in the loss of carrying capacity of the stream thus increasing the potential for flooding. Reduction in the quantity and deterioration in the quality of water is also an associated physical effect to nearby dwellers. Impact on health of human and other creatures using the polluted water is another identified physical impact. Nutrient levels, such as, N & P also increases resulting in eutrophication and other water pollution problem.
The problem of illegal mining is rooted in a complex web of demand for raw materials, corruption, weak enforcement of laws, and a lack of awareness among local populations about the long-term consequences.
To tackle this issue, a multipronged approach is essential. There must be a more robust legal framework in place, with stringent penalties for those who engage in illegal mining activities. The laws need to be enforced with an iron fist, and the judiciary must expedite the prosecution of offenders to send a clear message that illegal mining is a serious crime against the state and its people.
Also, technology can play a pivotal role in curbing these unlawful activities. The use of satellite imagery, drones, and geographic information systems (GIS) for real-time monitoring can help authorities identify and act upon any illegal mining operations swiftly. Furthermore, creating a digital registry of mines and mineral deposits would enhance transparency and accountability.
Many experts are also of the opinion that empowering local communities is crucial. The people of Jammu and Kashmir should be educated on the consequences of illegal mining. They should be made partners in conservation efforts, and sustainable livelihood alternatives should be provided to those who might otherwise be tempted by the short-term gains of illegal mining.
There must be better coordination between different governmental agencies at the state and central levels. This includes the Departments of Mining, Environment, and Forests, along with law enforcement agencies. A unified command structure to combat illegal mining can ensure a more effective and coherent response.
Moreover, there must be an emphasis on the rehabilitation of areas affected by illegal mining. Restoration plans should be implemented to revive the ecosystems that have been damaged. This not only includes reforestation but also the restoration of water bodies and soil quality.
Jammu and Kashmir’s natural resources are a heritage that belongs to every citizen and future generations. It is imperative that we protect this legacy from the ravages of illegal mining. Through concerted efforts at the legal, technological, communal, and inter-agency levels, we can hope to preserve the environmental sanctity of the region. The time for decisive action is now. Let’s not wait until our rivers run dry, our mountains are hollowed out, and our skies are clouded with the dust of greed. Let Jammu and Kashmir shine as an example of how the environment and development can coexist in harmony, free from the blight of illegal exploitation.
(The author is a student and is pursuing Bachelor’s in Environmental Sciences from Sri Pratap College Srinagar. The article forms a component of his academic assignments)
