Draining trout rivers: Omar calls for report,Fisheries seeks ban

The Indian Express had reported today how officials admitted “political pressure” behind the NOCs that were issued to two individuals considered close to politicians in Bandipore and Anantnag.

“I have asked our Environment Minister Altaf Ahmad and Industries Minister Surjit Singh Slathia to examine this issue,” Abdullah told The Indian Express. “I am sure this process will be eventually stopped”.

Abdullah has also sought a report from the Geology and Mining Department that had issued the tenders last week. The J-K Pollution Control Board,too,has sent its Executive Director Farooq Gilani to inspect the stone-crusher site on the banks of Arin stream in Bandipore.

The state Fisheries department,in a U-turn,has demanded “a complete ban on setting up of stone crushers on the banks of the freshwater streams” and on “the extraction of boulders and gravel from these trout waters.”

Its report blames Industries and Geology and Mining departments for allowing extraction of boulders and gravel from these streams and “issuing permissions to set up stone crushers despite repeated objections by this (Fisheries) department”.

The report admits that that the (Fisheries) department is “under great pressure from various quarters” to allow setting up of stone crushers on the streams.

When contacted the Director,Geology and Mining,Ishtiyaq Ahmad Ashai said: “We don’t need anybody’s permission to invite tenders for extraction of boulders and gravel from these streams”. He said that the Fisheries department can identify areas which they can use for the trout.

Said Industries Minister Slathia: We will not do anything that will affect the trout waters…We will only allow a stone crusher once Pollution Control Board gives a nod”.

Environment Minister Altaf Ahmad too has asked for a report from the ground. “Our Executive Director,Kashmir has visited the site (of the stone crushers) and we will take suitable action as soon as his report comes,” he said.

Executive Director of the J-K Pollution Control Board Farooq Gilani said he visited the streams. “We will put it (the no objection certificate) on hold,” he said. “We had given them the NOC for establishing stone crushers,not for operating them. But once I visited the site and found it is coming up right on the banks of the stream,we will certainly factor in its implications on the environment.”