SRINAGAR, September 30, 2026 – Cracking down on environmental violations, the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee (JKPCC) has issued 146 closure orders and 229 legal notices following the inspection of 517 stone-crushing units across the Union Territory since January 2025. The government disclosed these figures in response to a query by Poonch Haveli MLA Ajaz Ahmad Jan, who sought detailed information regarding the permissions granted to new stone crushers, their compliance with environmental norms, and the enforcement actions taken against operating units. Out of the 517 inspections conducted, authorities detected severe violations of environmental and regulatory requirements in 254 cases. The principal grounds for these stringent actions included the failure of unit owners to obtain the required No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the concerned Deputy Commissioner under S.O. 60 of 2021, operating without the mandatory consent of the JKPCC, and running the units with inadequate or entirely absent pollution-control measures.
A detailed geographical breakdown of the enforcement drive reveals that the Kashmir division accounted for the majority of the inspections, with 318 units checked and violations detected in 179 cases. This led to the issuance of 154 legal notices and 112 closure orders in the Valley. Pulwama district recorded the highest scrutiny with 161 inspections, resulting in 67 legal notices and 44 closure orders. Budgam followed closely, where violations were found in all 49 inspected units, prompting 49 legal notices and 49 closure orders. Other districts in Kashmir, including Anantnag, Baramulla, and Kulgam, also faced significant crackdowns. In the Jammu division, 199 inspections were conducted, leading to 75 legal notices and 34 closure directions. Rajouri saw the highest number of inspections in Jammu at 36, followed by Udhampur and Kishtwar. The government maintained that all enforcement directives were strictly issued under Section 33-A of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and Section 31-A of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, ensuring that environmental guidelines and revised siting criteria are rigidly enforced across the region.
Published by True Roots Media Network