Khrew-Pahalgam Mountains Need Massive Plantation Not Roads!

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer)
Photo Credit: Khrew My Town facebook Page

It was shocking for me when I learned that Justice (Retired) Hasnain Masoodi, the Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Pampore, is advocating for the construction of a road from Khrew to Pahalgam. This proposed road will pass through Wahab Sahib, Syedabad Pastuna, Karmula, Tral, Lehandajan, and Salar.

An official government statement, made in response to Mr. Hasnain Masoodi's Assembly Question (AQ), said that the road construction is at the DPR stage and that the distance from Srinagar to Pahalgam via Khrew-Pampore will be reduced by 30 kilometers. I find this government statement absurd and ludicrous, especially at a time when everyone in the government-from the Prime Minister to the Chief Minister, and from Union Ministers to State Ministers-talks about environmental conservation, wildlife conservation, and achieving the targets under the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Our leaders speak at various national and international forums about the challenges we face due to climate change. Yet, when it comes to fulfilling the commitments made at these forums, we succumb to local pressures. I couldn't believe that Mr. Masoodi, a former judge of the Jammu & Kashmir High Court and a highly learned man, would support such a“developmental” project. I am sure the people of his assembly constituency have pressured him to push this project forward; otherwise, he would never recommend something that would impact our forests, environment, and biodiversity.

Cement Factories & Scientific Reports

The proposed Khrew-Pahalgam road project will not only be disastrous for the Pampore assembly constituency but will also impact the entire mountain range from Khrew to Pahalgam. I understand the political compulsions under which our politicians operate, but an MLA or MP is also a leader responsible for guiding the people on environmental challenges.

In a place like Jammu & Kashmir-especially the Kashmir Valley-our political leaders must be even more cautious. Our biodiversity and environment have already suffered due to deforestation, urbanization, riverbed mining, clay mining, emissions from cement factories and motor vehicles, and unscientific waste disposal. Khrew and its adjoining areas have suffered immensely over the last 30 years due to massive air pollution from cement factories.

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There are more than a dozen cement factories in this area that have plundered everything. The saffron crop has vanished, along with apple and almond trees. According to a report published in J. Himalayan Eco by Moieza Ashraf, G. A. Bhat, and Naira Ashraf from the Department of Environmental Science at the University of Kashmir, cement factories in Khrew are a major source of pollutants in the surrounding areas.

Scientific studies have reported that cement dust is a significant cause of air pollution. The study revealed that the area is polluted with very high calcium content in the topsoil. The alkaline pH of the soil has been attributed to the accumulation of cement dust containing acid-neutralizing compounds, such as lime and gypsum. The reference site's mildly alkaline nature is due to the decomposition of organic matter and the release of organic acids (Brady and Weil, 2000).

Furthermore, the study states that the value of organic carbon, organic matter, and loss on ignition was found to be lowest at one of the sites near Khrew, in the vicinity of a cement factory. Soil organic matter is a critical component of soil fertility and productivity because it directly affects soil structure, water movement, and root penetration, as well as indirectly influencing soil microbial activity. I believe this study is 15 to 20 years old, so one can only imagine the current state of cement dust pollution in this area.

Axing of 850 Trees

The government's response to the MLA Pampore's question stated that the project remains subject to the availability of funds and forest clearance. It is estimated that around 850 trees will be felled between Khrew Wahab Sahib and Pastuna alone, according to the DPR. From Pastuna to Bathnoor Karmula and Lehandajan Pahalgam, there will be massive deforestation, particularly of Kail, Deodar, and Fir trees.

I had expected MLA Pampore to advocate for the closure of cement factories in Khrew and their rehabilitation. However, hearing that the government is discussing the construction of a road to Pahalgam via Khrew Wahab Sahib was painful.

Replying to a question from Mr. Hasnain Masoodi (MLA Pampore), the Minister for PWD (R&B) stated that the construction of the road via Khrew Wahab Sahib, Syedabad (Pastuna), Karmula Tral, Lehandajan, and Salar will significantly shorten the travel distance between Srinagar and Pahalgam. He claimed that the road would open up new tourist destinations in the upper areas of Tral and create employment opportunities.

“The project consists of two parts: one from Wahab Sahib Khrew to Pastuna and the other from Bathnoor Karmula to Lehandajan Pahalgam,” he said, adding that“the DPR for the Pastuna to Wahab Sahib Khrew stretch (8 km) has been prepared at an estimated cost of approximately Rs 27 crore. The proposed road involves the acquisition of 108 kanals of forest land and the felling of 845 trees, which requires forest clearance. The project can proceed only after securing funds and obtaining the necessary clearance,” said the Minister for R&B (PWD) in response to the question.

He further stated that“the DPR for the Bathnoor Karmula to Lehandajan Pahalgam stretch amounts to approximately Rs 44.10 crore. However, the road passes through forest land, for which the Forest Department must give its clearance, as the project involves the axing of a significant number of forest trees (Kail, Deodar, and Fir).”

EPG Concerned

The Environmental Policy Group (EPG), a Srinagar-based civil society group involved in environmental awareness and advocacy, has expressed serious concerns over the proposed road construction to Pahalgam via Khrew. The EPG issued a press statement a few days ago citing severe environmental risks and the potential loss of biodiversity in this area.

The statement reads:

The group has also raised concerns about tunneling alternatives, which could weaken rock structures, disrupt water sources, and pose risks in the seismically active Zone 5. The EPG has urged authorities to consider lessons from past environmental disasters in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh before proceeding with this project.

Impact on Wildlife

The Khrew-Pahalgam road project will not only be disastrous for the environment and forests but will also impact wildlife. The wildlife has already suffered due to cement factories and the pollution they cause. If the road is built, traffic movement will destroy the entire habitat of Hangul and other wildlife species. The entire stretch is part of Dachigam Wildlife Sanctuary, which will be severely affected. The proposed road is also expected to pass through a notified Wildlife Sanctuary in Tral, further endangering wildlife habitats.

Conclusion

The pollution caused by cement factories around Khrew has already affected saffron, apple, and almond crops, as well as wildlife and forests. Above all, people living in Khrew and adjoining villages are suffering from respiratory ailments. Instead of promoting such environmentally destructive projects, the government should take steps to phase out cement factories and launch massive plantation drives in this mountain range.

I hope Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, R&B Minister Mr. Surinder Chowdhary, and MLA Pampore Mr. Hasnain Masoodi reconsider this project and do not proceed with road construction in the area.

• Views expressed in the article are the author's own and do not necessarily represent the editorial stance of Kashmir Observer.

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