Hills Turned Hollow

I have seen the hills of Pulwama and Budgam turned into pits. Clay, sand, and gravel are being taken without control, leaving orchards ruined, soil lost, and communities ignored.

- Dr. Raja Muzaffar Bhat

I am writing this from Anand, Gujarat, far from Kashmir, but my mind keeps returning to the landscapes I know.

The karewas of Pulwama, Budgam, and other districts are being cut apart.

These plateaus, formed over two million years ago, have shaped the valley's soil, orchards, and history.

Now they are being stripped of clay, sand, and gravel. The damage is massive and mostly illegal.

In Zadoora, Newa, Tumchi Nowpora, and Parigam villages of Pulwama, and in Pallar, Gowherpora, Kultreh, Nagam, and Hyathpora in Budgam, the land has been carved into pits.

Hundreds of acres of agricultural and horticultural land have been affected. Orchards struggle as the water table drops.

Dust fills the air, covering the soil and the leaves of the trees. The noise of machinery has become constant for local residents.

Mining has become normal in the valley, often without legal clearance.

Some operations run under Disposal Permits issued by the Mining Department, but these permits violate the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act of 1957.

Environmental clearance, required for clay and sand extraction, has not been obtained for these sites. No approval from the J&K Environment Impact Assessment Authority exists for the Zadoora mining operations.