• Irrigation Division officials identify three locals as masterminds
• Authorities say difficult to manage without additional support
Pulwama, July 07: Patal Bagh village in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district is facing a serious threat from an illegal sand mining operation led by a local mafia.
This illicit activity is causing significant damage to the Jhelum River’s bed and jeopardising the area’s crucial irrigation infrastructure.
According to officials from the Irrigation Division Pulwama, three individuals – all residents of Patal Bagh – have been identified as the masterminds behind the illegal sand mining operation.
The officials added that these individuals employ labourers from other parts of the country who use large boats and ropes for unauthorised sand extraction near a critical lift irrigation scheme.
The authorities have raised alarms over the extensive disturbance to the Jhelum River’s bed at this location.
The officials said that the persistent unauthorised sand extraction not only poses a threat to the river’s natural flow but also endangers the structural integrity of nearby irrigation facilities, including a vital pump house.
“The riverbed has been disturbed to a large extent, which can lead to severe problems for our irrigation system during lean periods,” an official from the Irrigation Division Pulwama told Rising Kashmir.
He said the illegal mining is posing a threat to the structural work of the pump house, and any potential damage could trigger an irrigation crisis in the area.
The official said that efforts to curb the illegal activities have been met with strong resistance. “The Irrigation Division has conducted several drives to apprehend the offenders, but these attempts have been thwarted by the aggressive behaviour of the sand mafia,” he said.
The authorities have described the situation as increasingly difficult to manage without additional support. To address the issue, the irrigation department has formally appealed to law enforcement and revenue authorities for intervention.
They have requested that the involved individuals be prosecuted under section 156(S) of the Water Resources Regulations and Management Act, which addresses the illegal extraction of bed material from water sources and imposes penalties, including imprisonment and fines.
