Shopian: After the complete ban on manual as well as “illegal excavation” of minerals from rivers and canals, construction works have come to a standstill here in south Kashmir, as even those who had received tenders for excavation are yet to complete the official formalities and obtain the environmental clearances to excavate and sell the minerals.
Recently, dozens of tractor drivers, owners and their association held a tractor rally in Shopian to press their demand to allow them excavation of sand, boulders and gravel from rivulets, particularly Rambiara, in south Kashmir. However, there was no response from the district administration.
Most of the mineral blocks of these rivers and rivulets were auctioned in 2019 when Kashmir was witnessing a shutdown and the government had cut off the internet.
According to locals from different areas of Shopian, their construction work has been affected in absence of minerals, which is due to the authorities having stopped every kind of excavation from the local rivers.
“I am searching for a few lorries of gravel for a fortnight but no one has turned up here,” said Bilal Ahmad, a local from Losedenow.
He added, “They should either at least lift the ban on manual excavation, or should allow those who have received tenders to excavate, as soon as possible, so that our construction works are not delayed.”
Little construction work could take place last year due to the Covid-19 lockdown and unavailability of labourers from outside J&K, who were not allowed to enter Kashmir, while those who did were taken back to their own states.
Imtiyaz Ahmad, another local, said that as the authorities have put on hold all kinds of excavation, those who do it illegally during night hours sell the minerals at exorbitant rates, which are two or three times higher than the government-prescribed rates.
In Shopian most of the minerals are excavated from the Rambiara rivulet, which flows for about 45 kilometers. The rivulet separates the areas of Shopian and Pulwama districts.
Majid Aziz Bhat, district geology and mining officer, said that the department is going to hold a public hearing for environmental clearance of mining of four blocks on Wednesday. “It will not take more time now to give out the environmental clearances to the people who have received the contracts,” he said.

Raashid Hassan