Surveillance tech, flying squads, district task forces activated
Srinagar, Feb 19: The Jammu & Kashmir government on Thursday said it has intensified its crackdown on illegal mining across the Union Territory, seizing 7,473 vehicles and recovering Rs 16.37 crore in penalties during 2025–26.
The information was shared in the Legislative Assembly in response to a question raised by Congress MLA Nizam-ud-Din Bhat. The Mining Department said action was taken under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 and the J&K Minor Mineral Concession, Storage, Transportation and Prevention of Illegal Mining Rules, 2016.
The government said that 234 FIRs have been lodged or recommended against violators involved in unauthorised extraction and transportation of minor minerals like sand and river-bed material (RBM). Illegal mining cases were reported from almost all districts, with the highest seizures recorded in Kupwara, Kathua, Baramulla, Samba and Jammu.
To regulate mining and meet construction demand, the government stated that 204 RBM mining leases have been granted after environmental clearance, approved mining plans and statutory permissions, in line with Sustainable Sand Mining Guidelines.
It said that the administration has also strengthened monitoring through district-level task forces headed by Deputy Commissioners, flying enforcement squads, and 22 mineral check posts across J&K. An Integrated Mining Surveillance System (IMSS) using GPS and RFID tracking, along with an online e-challan and e-market portal, has been launched to detect illegal transportation in real time.
The government said notices are being issued to defaulters who fail to deposit penalties, and environmental committees have been constituted atthe district level, asserting that coordinated enforcement and digital monitoring are helping curb the menace of illegal mining in the Union Territory.
Abid Bashir
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