Reyaz RashidTangmarg: Illegal stone crushers and macadam hot mix plants in the heart of the Sharai stream, Kunzer Tangmarg, are wreaking havoc on the environment and public health, causing large-scale pollution that poses a grave threat to the world-famous tourist destination of Gulmarg.
Residents of Tumberhama, Darhama, Wanigam, Chandil, Darakasi, Baderkote, Ringwali, Sharai, Check Lingwari, Ganibaba, Batpora, Hardubani, and surrounding villages are up in arms, reporting severe health problems attributed to the extensive pollution. “Seventy percent of the population suffers from respiratory diseases and other health ailments. Our children and women are the worst affected,” said Irshad Ahmad Malik, a local resident.
“The Sharai Nallah area has been severely impacted. How these crushers were given permission is beyond our understanding. Our entire vegetation is at risk, and the future looks bleak,” said another resident, Ali Mohammad, expressing concerns over the environmental degradation.
Students commuting to and from Government Middle School Sharai, Boys School Middle Tumberhama, and Middle School Kulhama are particularly affected. “Children are stuck in traffic jams, forced to eat and inhale the dust and smoke from these plants,” said Amina Bano, a concerned parent. The nearby sports ground, where youth engage in sports activities to avoid social evils, is now enveloped in dust, endangering their health.
Despite repeated protests and appeals to the authorities, including the Pollution Control Board and the Department of Geology and Mining, no effective measures have been taken. “Life has become hell as the emergency road remains stuck in massive jams all day. These tippers run non-stop and don’t follow any government directives. Our entire ecosystem and daily life have become a nightmare,” lamented local shopkeeper Bashir Ahmad, whose shop has accumulated inches of dust.
The once-pristine Sharie Nalla, known for its fresh water and fish, is now heavily polluted. “The aquatic life, including the fish, is almost extinct,” said Nayeem Ahmed of Batpora Kunzer Tangmarg. He added that alongside respiratory diseases, locals are also facing skin diseases, hearing impairments, and visual ailments.
Despite former SDM Abdul Aziz Tantary’s efforts to shut down these illegal crushers, they have resumed operations, leaving the community in dismay. “The world-famous tourist destination Gulmarg has suffered massively due to this pollution. Last winter, there was almost no snowfall until late December, a clear indicator of environmental impact,” reported a local environmentalist.
The affected villages, including Tumberhama, Darhama, Wanigam, Chandil, Darakasi, Baderkote, Ringwali, Sharai, Check Lingwari, and Ganibaba, are united in their demand for action. They have repeatedly appealed to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha through grievance cells and other means, but no tangible action has been taken.
“The authorities of Sub-division Kunzer remain tight-lipped. Repeated contacts with the Pollution Control Board and Geology and Mining Department have yielded no results. It seems no one wants to act against this powerful mafia,” said a frustrated local leader, Musadiq Ahmad.
People of the affected areas have appealed to LG Manoj Sinha and DC Baramulla Minga Sirpra for their personal intervention to avert the ecological catastrophe in the trout-rich area of Tangmarg Gulmarg.
When contacted, Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Tangmarg Syed Altaf Hussain said that the stone crushers and macadam plants have been running on Sharai Nallah in Tangmarg. “People complained about traffic jams for which I have issued orders. There is a court stay due to which we can’t take action against the crushers,” he added.
