Jahangeer Ganaie
Jammu, Feb 4: Cement industries in Jammu and Kashmir have been directed by the J&K Pollution Control Committee (PCC) to install Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Systems (CAAQMS) for regular air quality monitoring, the government said on Wednesday.
Replying to a question from MLA Hasnain Masoodi, the Minister for Forest, Ecology, and Environment, said that two CAAQMS units have already been installed in the Khrew and Khonmoh areas, respectively, for regular air quality monitoring.
“Furthermore,” the minister added, “the J&K PCC has assigned a ‘Study on the Present Status of Air Quality in Khrew and Khonmoh Areas of District Pulwama and Srinagar’ to the University of Kashmir in September 2025. The results of the study are awaited.”
He continued: “The J&K Government has granted nine mining leases in the Khrew-Wuyan area of District Pulwama, out of which four are operational and are working strictly in accordance with the guidelines provided in the approved mining plan, environmental clearance, and consent to operate, among other requirements. The remaining five are non-operational due to pending environmental clearances and consent to operate. All nine mining leases were granted as per the Mines & Minerals (Development & Regulation) Act and rules, and are made operational only after obtaining necessary no-objection certificates from concerned stakeholders.”
“To control pollution,” the minister said, “the J&K PCC imposed a moratorium on the establishment of new air-polluting industries in the Khrew and Khonmoh areas, vide Order No. 41-JK PCC of 2021 dated 22.01.2021. The moratorium was reviewed by the J&K PCC in its third board meeting held on 20.12.2023, where it was resolved that the moratorium shall remain in force for cement plants, stone crushers, hot mix plants, brick kilns, and mining until the annual average Air Quality Index (AQI) falls below 100 or the Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index (CEPI) score falls below 60.”
He further said that fugitive dust emissions from heavy vehicular movement and poor road conditions are among the primary reasons for elevated AQI levels in the area. The J&K PCC has advised concerned departments to ensure all roads are of adequate width and properly macadamised throughout the mining, stone crusher, and industrial areas of Khrew and Khonmoh.
“All link roads in the locality should also be properly maintained by the concerned stakeholders. Transportation of cement should be carried out in completely sealed conditions to prevent loose cement from escaping into the atmosphere or spilling onto roads,” it said.
The J&K PCC directions mandate that transportation of earth, raw material from mines, and crushed material from stone crushers should be conducted in fully covered trucks without overloading, to prevent fugitive emissions and spillage. Regular water sprinkling, it said, should be carried out on the roads.
“Cement plants have been advised to install emission control devices such as Automatic Pulse Jet Bag Filters, Reverse Air Bag Filters, and Electrostatic Precipitators (ESPs) to minimise air pollution,” the Board advised.
