STATE TIMES NEWS
NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has constituted a four member joint panel to ascertain allegations regarding unregulated and unscientific dredging in the riverbeds of Jammu, Kathua, and Samba districts in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in violation of environmental norms.
The tribunal was hearing Original Application No. 114/2025, filed by Sushil Kumar, who raised concerns about the environmental impact of large-scale dredging activities.
The case was presided over by Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Dr. A. Senthil Vel at the NGT Principal Bench in New Delhi.
Taking into account the serious environmental concerns, the NGT has ordered the formation of a Joint Committee to investigate the matter. The committee comprises Member Secretaries of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), State Pollution Control Board (SPCB), Regional Office, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Chandigarh, and District Magistrate, Jammu (who will act as the nodal agency)
The committee has been instructed to conduct a site inspection to verify the allegations and assess the environmental impact of the dredging activities. It has been given eight weeks to submit an Action Taken Report (ATR) to the tribunal.
The NGT has scheduled the next hearing for July 11, 2025, by which time all respondents must submit their replies through affidavits.
The tribunal has also directed that any submissions must be accompanied by the virtual presence of the concerned respondents before the court.
This case has highlighted significant environmental and regulatory concerns, particularly regarding the exploitation of natural resources without proper clearances.
The findings of the Joint Committee will be crucial in determining the extent of violations and the potential legal consequences for those responsible. The applicant was represented by Ayushman Kotwal and Tejashwar Chib, who argued that the dredging activities were not intended for river maintenance or flood disaster management, as permitted under Clause 7 of Appendix IX of the EIA Notification, 2006.
Instead, it was alleged that the extracted material was being commercially utilized for road construction, violating environmental norms.
The applicant pointed out several irregularities in the ongoing dredging operations. One of the major concerns raised was the failure to notify the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) before commencing dredging.
As per the Office Memorandum (OM) dated August 21, 2023, any such activity requires a 15-day prior notice to the SPCB, which was allegedly not given in this case.
Additionally, it was noted that an official order dated February 13, 2024 (Annexure VII) recommended the disposal of 90,744 MT of extracted Nallah muck, raising concerns over whether the necessary environmental clearances were sought.
The applicant also submitted photographic evidence (Annexure VIII), showing large-scale dredging that suggested violations of environmental norms.