Sameer Ahmad, a labourer from south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, once earned a steady income extracting sand from the banks of the River Jhelum. Today, he is out of work.
Ahmad is among thousands affected after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered a halt to customary sand extraction, disrupting a long-standing livelihood practice in the Valley.
The River Jhelum has traditionally been a key source of sand — an essential raw material for construction and infrastructure projects across Kashmir. For decades, local riverine communities, particularly the Hanjis (fishermen), extracted sand manually under short-term permits issued by the Geology and Mining Department.
The system changed in 2016 with the introduction of new mining rules mandating e-auctions and environmental clearances for extraction. However, environmental restrictions and regulatory hurdles limited large-scale mining activity.
In 2022, the Jammu and Kashmir administration allowed limited manual extraction through short-term permits to support livelihoods and ensure availability of construction material. But the arrangement came under legal scrutiny.
Acting on a case related to illegal sand mining, the NGT in its February 26, 2026, order observed that the 2022 notification allowing such extraction was in violation of existing legal provisions and court rulings. Following the order, authorities halted the issuance of fresh permits.
Official estimates suggest nearly 15,000 families across Kashmir — particularly in Srinagar, Pulwama and Bandipora — depend on manual sand extraction for their livelihoods.
“We can no longer access the riverbanks to extract sand after the ban and have been left completely without work,” said Ahmad, adding that he is now struggling to support his family and has no alternative source of income.
Impact on construction
The suspension has also impacted the construction sector, with contractors reporting delays and rising costs.
“Work on several projects has slowed down due to shortage of sand,” said a Srinagar-based contractor. “We are struggling to source material, and whatever is available comes at a much higher cost.”
With the matter now sub judice, both workers and builders say uncertainty looms large, as the Valley grapples with a shortage of construction material and loss of income for thousands dependent on the river.
Published on April 29, 2026