Fisheries Dept Flags Mining Threat To Vishaw Stream

The Jammu and Kashmir Fisheries department has admitted that the Vishaw stream—an important tributary of the Jhelum that supplies over six million gallons of drinking water daily to Kulgam district—is under serious threat from unregulated and unscientific mining.

- Agencies

In an affidavit submitted before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) under OA No. 1391 of 2024, the department acknowledged that unchecked pollution and excessive mining are endangering the stream’s aquatic biodiversity, particularly the trout and Schizothorax species.

The department noted that mining activities—both legal and illegal—carried out during critical breeding and spawning seasons (October-December for trout and April-June for Schizothorax) have severely compromised water quality.

The affidavit further stated that the use of heavy machinery has disturbed the stream’s natural flow, destroyed habitats, and adversely affected fish production as well as species diversity.