Living on an ecological disaster

With unabated illegal soil excavation and nearly over 250 brick-kilns operational, the central Kashmir district Budgam has turned into an ‘ecological disaster.’

According to healthcare experts, the rising number of brick-kilns, with thousands of non-local labourers working in these units and smoke emanating from their chimneys is leaving a sizable population prone to several deadly diseases including COPD, TB, cancer and skin diseases.

   

“With the number of brick-kilns rising in Budgam district, we are suffering and sinking every day. We are facing several issues and it has become a serious environmental hazard,” says social activist Nazir Khan, representing ‘Wake-UP’ Budgam, a social initiative to reform the district.

“There has been a lot of environmental degradation in various areas, which is not only affecting the overall vegetation but also affecting the health parameters of the district.”

The group says that the vegetation and trees of areas including Reshipora, Choon, Sholipora, Mahwara, Chadoora, Gudsutu, Laar, Harran, Hatharan, Gariand Khurid, Kariand Kalan, Nasrullah Pora, Watter Vani, Kaidi Pora, Dhaf Pora, Chunde Pora, Luber Tal, Sonpah, and most parts of the Beerwah Tehsil were continuously getting deteriorated due to the smoke that comes from the nearby brick kilns.

“It’s very saddening when I see a thick layer of black smoke coming from the chimneys of these brick kilns. It then gets accumulated all over our areas, our vegetation,” says Mudasir Ahmad Shah, a local from Reshipora area of Budgam. “Everything appears in a complete state of chaos and mess. There is no check from the administration. The result is we have to suffer on a daily basis,” he says.

‘Battered Biodiversity’

Another group of youth from Nasrullah Pora area of central Kashmir district says that with the change in agricultural and horticultural patterns and with the rise in unemployment, the local youth says they have been investing into the development of orchids. However, they rued the government and the administration for giving this priceless biodiversity which is getting destroyed due to the unregulated growth of brick kilns that have sprung up in Budgam district over the years.

They say that the unregulated growth of the brick kilns has caused several ailments into their respective areas.

“We have been suffering because there are very few jobs available and the rising unemployment is also giving rise to a lot of menaces including drug addiction,” says Ummer Maqbool, who continues to write and generate awareness about the ecology. “We had invested into our orchids but unfortunately now this priceless biodiversity of Budgam is getting devastated due to the unplanned and unregulated growth of brick kilns that have sprung up in Budgam district over the years,” agitated Maqbool, says.

According to figures, there were over 375 brick kilns operational across Kashmir valley and nearly 250 of these kilns operate in central Kashmir’s Budgam district. Officials say that there were more than 100 kilns functioning illegally without any formal documents and violating the norms brazenly.

They say that the illegal land mafia and brick kiln issues have been a major cause of concern for the district administration to address. However, they alleged that years long “nexus” between some of the officials and the unit owners was to shell a huge amount of money to “set the system right and ensure that there was no crackdown on the violators.”

“We have seen how people who used to fight against the land mafia and mushrooming of brick kilns have become part of the larger conspiracy,” says Manzoor Ahmad, a local. “It is also evident from the fact that the setting up of a brick kiln is a huge project. The owners shell out a huge amount of money to go to any extent to bribe any official and you find no action against this growing mafia,” he alleged.

‘Deep Nexus’

The locals alleged that there was a “deep nexus” between the unit holders and the administration. While some maintain that with the change of guard in civil and police administration in Budgam, there was slightly some improvement into the illegal activities of the brick-kilns.

“There are a very few honest officers around. We have been witnessing a deep nexus between the police chokis (police stations) and the administrative officers. This has affected our area administratively and also brought some negative changes to our environment.”

The local youth say that they have high hopes from the Deputy Commissioner, Shahbaz Mirza and senior Superintendent of Police, Budgam, Tahir Saleem—urging them to launch a massive campaign against the violators and drug addicts, so that the ecology of the district is saved and preserved.

“We can’t do anything on our own. We have high hopes from the administration who so far have failed to address our issue in Budgam,” they say. “There is a complete nexus of police, administration and the Brick kilns owners, who build pressures on the political set-up as well,” they alleged.

Several groups and deputations from various areas of the central Kashmir’s district Budgam, told this reporter, that besides ruining the cultivable land, thousands of trees have been cut to pave way for construction of the kilns and thousands of acres of land have been turned ruined by these units—turning it an unfit potion for the cultivation.

The locals of these areas have 3expressed their dismay over the actions of the administration, alleging that a huge amount of money is being pumped in the pockets of the executing agency to side-line the issue.

“As soon as any action is initiated by the admin or police, they (owners) resume the work again in no time. This has become a mockery for the locals, who have stood up against this mafia,” said Ali Muhammad of Gariand area.

Notably, the police department in Budgam have lodged several FIRs on the issue after receiving the tiff off from the locals, who have been complaining of some menaces coming up in these areas. A senior police official told Greater Kashmir that Police has registered (FIR No. 424/13) in Police Station Budgam under sections 420, 277, 278, 435, 188 RPC and 16 and 21 Brick Kilns (regulations) Act 2010 in the matter. However, authorities have failed to take action on ground.

“It is sad to see devastation of our biodiversity. Brick kilns contaminate soil and water due to the leakage of toxins. This makes the water unfit for drinking and cooking and leaves the soil unusable for cultivation,” Ruhullah Hassan Mirza, a senior Geologist, told Greater Kashmir.

“The setting up of brick kilns on horticulture, agriculture land has a severe impact on the human and animal species,” he said, adding “While setting up any such kind of unit we should adhere to the rules and regulations and for that administration should take immediate measures.”

The authorities have failed to check the brazen violation of rules and regulations as polluting brick kilns continue to operate across the district. Despite court stay order and directions of authorities, the brick kiln operators have shown utter disregard to Jammu and Kashmir Brick Kiln Regulation Act (2010).

Interestingly, in the breathtakingly beautiful Karewas land of Budgam, the rising number of brick kilns has come from some of the flamboyant names given by their owners, such as BBC, KFC, and SANGAM. The locals say that it was a big test for former chief minister, Omar Abdullah, who has assured people of Beerwah and other areas that the issue would be resolved and streamlined and further land would be saved from destruction and deterioration. They say that the Mufti led government also failed to address the issues of the people in Budgam.

‘TB Threat’

Officials in the health department say that they have visited these areas in Budgam and tested many non-local labours positive for TB, which has emerged as a major threat for the administration to deal with. Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) centre Budgam has done some exercise in this regard to register the patients. However, no follow-up from the centre, according to sources, is making the scenario worse.

“Every year when these units start functioning, we receive a good number of non-local labourers, who are tested positive. They are put on the TB dosage but they never turn up again. This is a very disturbing trend,” a senior doctor at RNTCP, centre, Budgam, wishing not to be named, says. “I don’t understand why authorities allow these laborers and why don’t they do the screening and send them back,” he said.

He says some 40 non-local labourers including some 7 locals have been tested positive for TB in Nasrullah Pora and Sholipora areas—which have the highest number of brick kilns functioning. District Tuberculosis Officer, Budgam, denied divulging any details on the issue, saying the office was not authorised to talk on the issue to press and talk in detail.

The officials in Pollution Control Board Budgam said their job in giving the clearance comes at the end, which he says should have been prioritised.

“I don’t understand what is the fun of asking us for permission when everything is already done by the higher ups of Revenue and other offices,” The district officer of Pollution Control Board Budgam, Muhammad Ashraf Khanday said

Deputy Commissioner Budgam, Shahbaz Mirza, says that the issue was a matter of concern for the administration. He maintained a committee of SDMs have been constituted, who have been asked to formulate to see how many legal and illegal brick kilns were functioning across the Budgam district.

‘Illegal Soil Excavation’

While sitting on the edge of a picturesque tableland, Iqbal is wailing, as the place where he would come to sojourn and sing local melodies since his childhood has now been turned into grotesque ruin. Despite the official ban on soil extraction, some of the local groups associated with the trade in Budgam, Patwaw, Jehama areas of the central Kashmir district have been illegally excavating soil that has resulted in the destruction of topography of the local Kerawas here. Although it has been stopped to a large extent. However the land mafia was still on and ruining the typography of the picturesque Karewa land across the district.

“I am perturbed to see the massacre of our ecology and serenity. I am here to bid adieu to my childhood memories,” Iqbal Hussain, a young music professional, who hails from Patwaw says.

The residents of Jehama and Patwaw of Budgam area blame that some soil extractors who are banned by the authorities months back continue to extract soil from agricultural land due to which they are facing several problems.

“This issue has turned into a big mafia; they (stakeholders) don’t hesitate in breaking the rules while authorities are acting like mute spectators. No one pays heed to our problems which we are facing with their activities,” he said.

According to officials, some private soil extractors were given permission in 2003 by the then District Commissioner Budgam to extract soil for two months at Patwaw – one km away from Budgam town for the railway project. However, they continue it even after the completion of the project.

“There are around 300 tippers working for this work in the region which ply day and night,” Abdul Kareem, resident of Budgam town, says.

‘KILLER KEREWAS’

The locals of Budgam and other adjoining areas blame the fast-moving tippers in the area as the main cause of accidents in the area. This situation has led the local population to bear the maximum brunt.

“They (drivers) don’t adhere to speed limits. They are always in a hurry in order to make maximum shifts for which they are paid,” says, president, Jamia Masjid Budgam Committee, Budgam, Ghulam Rasool.

Although there is no exact figure of accidents caused by tippers available anywhere, this reporter met two such families of the town whose relatives were killed by fast moving tippers. Recently, a doctor was killed after he was crushed by a fast-moving tipper.

“My husband had parked his car in the market and was coming out when a fast-moving tipper killed him on the spot,” Rashida Begum, widow of the doctor, says.

Earlier, two school going children were crushed on the roadside by the fast-moving tippers. In another accident, a six-year old boy was killed by a tipper six months back while he was walking with his mother.

Locals here believe tippers are a source of air pollution as well which has led to several health problems among people. People say soil extraction in the area has resulted in environmental hazards as well. Farmers in the area say these groups are not only doing their business illegally but also act as mafias and force them to give them their land on rent or lease.

Former three-time member of Legislative Assembly, Budgam and senior National Conference leader, Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi says that he has always opposed the move as it was a ‘big disaster’ . “I used to always oppose this move in every Board meeting but then the Tipper Union of the area used to approach the administration for giving them some time frame and they were ultimately allowed for this destruction by the administration,” he says.

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