SRINAGAR: An announcement recently by the Jammu & Kashmir Public Works (R&B) Department to construct a new Srinagar-Pahalgam road through Khrew has raised serious environmental alarms, with locals and experts warning of grave ecological impacts.
The project would shorten the distance between Srinagar and the famous tourist resort of Pahalgam by 30 kilometres to enable tourists but this would entail the cutting down of 845 trees and the transfer of 108 kanals (around 13.5 acres) of forest land.
This data was revealed by the Environmental Policy Group (EPG), a Kashmir based civil society initiative. The organisation maintains that the environmental costs outweigh the benefits. “The two places are already well connected with alternative routes,” an activist of EPG says, and questions, “then what is the necessity?”
In a recent statement, the EPG also noted that Kashmir is in seismic zone 5 with high earthquake risk, and that tunnelling through mountains, which the proposed road project involves, could weaken rock structures and disrupt water sources.
Additionally, the road would pass through a notified Wildlife Sanctuary at Tral, endangering critical habitats. The group called for halting the project until a comprehensive environmental impact assessment is conducted and urged exploration of more sustainable alternatives.
"Cutting down forests for infrastructure projects without proper safeguards will have long-term implications," an EPG activist averred.
According to government estimates, more forest areas are likely to be cleared. The project entails two sections. At least 845 trees will be felled in the first section alone.
In response to a query in the Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly recently, the government maintained that the proposed road will be divided into two sections.
The first section would be from Wahab Sahib Khrew to Pastuna, covering 8 kilometers, with an estimated cost of Rs 27 crore. The second will be from Tral-Bathnoor Bugmad to Pahalgam, estimated to cost Rs 44.10 crore.
The Jammu and Kashmir government, in response to the query in the assembly, admitted that although the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for both sections have been finalised, the project’s advancement depends on environmental approvals and securing the required funding.
The minister also admitted that the road project requires the acquisition of 108 Kanals of forest land and the cutting down of at least 845 trees in the first section alone. An assessment of trees to be axed in the second section has not been done as yet.
The second segment will pass through forested areas, necessitating the removal of several Kail and Deodar trees, the government said.
Locals in Khrew town and surrounding villages, already suffering from environmental degradation caused by cement factories, are apprehensive that the new road will further aggravate the situation.
The proposed road will pass through Khrew, which is already experiencing significant environmental strain due to pollution from existing cement factories.
An environmentalist in the area, pleading anonymity, said, "Our area is already plagued by pollution from cement factories. The addition of a new road cutting through forest land will only lead to more deforestation and destruction of habitats."
Another resident complained about the effect of the road on farming, especially saffron cultivation. "Pollution from cement factories has already impacted saffron cultivation here. If more trees are cut down and dust pollution rises, it may destroy our livelihood," he told the Kashmir Times.
Khrew, in Pampore Tehsil of Pulwama district, is home to various cement plants, which have been one of the biggest sources of pollution. Cement dust settles on farms, rendering soil infertile and leading to decline in the crop yield, says a farmer in Androosa hamlet in Khrew area.
He is not the only one struggling with pollution from the cement factories for years.
The impact has been borne even by the world-famed saffron fields of Pampore. Reports in recent years has consistently pointed out that the region's saffron yield had decreased as a result of declining air quality.
The farmers are now worried that a new road will only exacerbate their woes.
Medical professionals in the area have observed an increase in respiratory diseases, which they attribute to rising pollution levels. A doctor at a local health centre revealed, "Over the past decade, cases of asthma, bronchitis, and other respiratory diseases have increased significantly. If deforestation continues, air quality will worsen, public health will be further at risk."
A veteran cardiologist in Srinagar mentioned that more cardiac diseases are now reported from the area. "We used to see a handful of heart attack cases from Khrew annually. Nowadays, we hear of several cases in a month. Exposure to toxic air for years on end is one major factor."
Dr Hakim Irfan Showkat, Director & Head of Interventional Cardiology at Srinagar MedCity Heart Institute warns that cement plant emissions pose a serious occupational and environmental hazard, primarily affecting the lungs, heart, skin, and eyes.
Prolonged exposure to pollutants like nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon dioxide (CO₂), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), polychlorinated dibenzodioxins/furans (PCDD/Fs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), ammonia, and chlorine increases the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart disease, hypertension, cancer, and respiratory diseases. The adverse impact on children is even more severe.
Studies globally and in areas like Khrew show a high prevalence of these ailments, linking cement emissions to increased hospital admissions, he points out.
“Persistent pollution triggers inflammatory responses, leading to long-term cardiovascular and respiratory damage, reinforcing the urgent need for epidemiological research and stricter environmental regulations," Dr Showkat adds.
The new road will cut through the notified Wildlife Sanctuary at Tral, causing apprehensions about its effects on biodiversity. Environmentalists say that it would disturb wildlife habitats and interfere with natural water cycles.
A conservationist warns, "Wildlife corridors will be disturbed, making animals shift towards human settlements for food. We have already experienced an increase in human-wildlife conflict because of habitat loss."
The proposed road project with its tunnelling, will trigger landslips and disrupt subterranean water resources, cautioned a geologist.
Climate change activist and Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat shares similar anxieties. “The Khrew area was known for its almonds and saffron but the area has already faced environmental destruction due to more than a dozen cement factories which have been set up in this area in last 20 to 30 years,” he said.
“People and the environment will not be able to sustain the stress of another development project,” he warned.
A moot questions being asked is whether a new road is even necessary. The EPG highlights that two existing roads already link Srinagar and Pahalgam. "Why are we endangering forests and wildlife when two well-established roads already fulfill the purpose?" its activist asked.
A Pulwama resident further added, "If the government wants to reduce travel time, they should improve the existing roads instead of cutting down forests for a new one."
While the EPG has called for an immediate halt to the project till there is a scientific Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), a legal analyst says that since the project involves forest land, Supreme Court approval is needed.
The Srinagar-Pahalgam road project requires approvals under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, and Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as it involves forestland diversion and a wildlife sanctuary. The Environment Protection Act, 1986, mandates an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
“Violations could trigger judicial intervention, as seen in T.N. Godavarman and Vanashakti cases. Legal challenges may arise under Article 21 (right to a clean environment), Public Interest Litigations in the Supreme Court, and pleas in the National Green Tribunal (NGT),” warns Sagar Sajad Shah, an advocate at the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir & Ladakh.
He further adds, “The Forest Rights Act, 2006, ensures tribal consultation, while the RTI Act, 2005, aids transparency. Bypassing legal mandates risks penalties, delays, or cancellation. Public consultation and sustainable development are crucial to prevent irreversible ecological damage.”
"Such a project cannot proceed without legal and environmental clearances. Authorities need to find alternative sustainable options before making irrevocable choices," another legal expert pointed out.
Officials did not respond to repeated queries about the issue. Kashmir Times emailed the Jammu & Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation (JKPCC) Chairman, the Department of Ecology, Environment & Remote Sensing, and the Member Secretary of the J&K Pollution Control Committee three days ago with pointed queries. However, none of them have responded.
This news story will be updated when a reply is received.
(Nasir Hussain is a Kashmiri freelance journalist and Master's graduate in media, currently interning at "The Caravan" magazine.)
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