Pampore: People in Saffron town Pampore area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district have alleged that taking undue advantage of the covid pandemic, illegal sand mining has picked up significantly along the river.
Gulzar Ahmad, a resident of Pampore, told Kashmir Reader excavation of sand along the river embankments is causing damage to them which makes them vulnerable to breaches during floods,” he said, adding the embankments have also been damaged at various places to make passage of trucks.
This illegal activity according to locals is carried out more along Drangbal to Galander stretch of the river.
Another resident told Kashmir Reader that the miners flaunt SOP’s on COVID-19 as many board a single boat without masks calling for immediate halt as it could trigger floods and inundation of town as has been witnessed in 2014 floods.
The locals said that the matter has been brought to the notice of concerned authorities a number of times but to no avail.
Assistant Executive Engineer Irrigation and Flood Control Department Pampore, Faisal Farooq told Kashmir Reader that they will take action against these persons soon.
“We have informed other allied departments too and also brought this issue into the notice of the concerned magistrate, together we will take action against the illegal miners,” he said.

BILAL HABIB