Unregulated mining degrading water bodies in Kashmir

Srinagar, Nov 1: Unregulated extraction of natural resources from riverbeds in Kashmir is heightening the region’s risk of flash floods, according to a report by the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM).
The report highlights that unchecked mining of sand, gravel, and boulders fuels construction, compromising flood defenses and making rivers more susceptible to sudden flooding.
To address these risks, the NIDM calls for sustainable measures, including creating alternative flood channels, enhancing urban drainage systems, restoring natural waterways and wetlands, and factoring in flood and earthquake vulnerability in city planning.
The report also notes that many developmental activities proceed without considering the region’s environmental, geological, and ecological constraints. It stresses the need to improve early warning systems to better manage flood risks in Kashmir, an area highly vulnerable to natural disasters, including avalanches, earthquakes, and floods.
While agencies like the IMD and the Irrigation and Flood Control Department have strengthened early warning systems, the report emphasizes that further improvements are needed, especially in light of major events like the 2014 floods.
The NIDM also recommends more efficient use of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to enhance disaster preparedness and relief. Additionally, it calls for upgrading the Jammu and Kashmir Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development to a State Institute of Disaster Management (SIDM) to strengthen capacity-building and support disaster management efforts across the region. (KINS)