Srinagar: Unregulated extraction of natural resources from riverbeds by non-local contractors in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir is heightening the territory’s risk of flash floods.
According to Kashmir Media Service, this was stated in a report by India’s 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.
“Multiple rules are violated by these contractors, including those on maximum depth of mining riverbeds and curbs on mining near embankments,” the report noted. The report also notes that many developmental activities proceed without considering the region’s environmental, geological, and ecological constraints.
It is pertinent to mention that 70% of mining contracts in IIOJK have been given to non-local contractors by the BJP-led Indian government.