NIT Campus Stalled On Kashmir's Karewa Farmlands

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer) Srinagar- For months, residents of Newa in South Kashmir's Pulwama district watched the news with growing unease. Talk of a new National Institute of Technology (NIT) campus coming up in their backyard had stirred anxiety. Rumours swirled about bulldozers, construction crews, and trees being cut on the ancient Karewa plateau, land that locals say has fed their families for generations.

On Friday, however, came a breather.

At a hearing in New Delhi, officials from NIT Srinagar and the Deputy Commissioner of Pulwama told the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that no land had been acquired for the proposed campus at Qariwa Ranbirpora near Newa.

Based on their sworn affidavits, the tribunal dismissed a petition filed earlier this year by environmental activist Dr. Raja Muzaffar Bhat.

The bench, led by Justice Prakash Srivastava, concluded that the case was premature. But it left a door open.

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If authorities move ahead with the project in the future, Dr. Bhat, or anyone else, can return to the tribunal.

The relief was immediate and visible across the cluster of villages bordering the Karewa.“This is our land, our orchards,” said Ghulam Nabi, a 62-year-old farmer from Ranbirpora.“The apples and almonds here don't just feed Pulwama, they go across the valley. We were scared this land would be lost in the name of development.”

Dr. Bhat, who had filed the petition earlier this year, said the threat was real.“Had I not gone to the NGT, the damage would have been done by now. This order saved our Karewa land and thousands of trees across 4,500 kanals.”

In his plea, Dr. Bhat had alleged that authorities were planning to cut down hundreds of mature trees in the horticultural belt of Newa to build the new NIT campus. The region, known for its layered soil formed by glacial deposits, supports some of the richest orchards in the valley.

Alarmed by the prospect of losing this fragile ecosystem, the NGT had issued a notice in April and sought responses from NIT Srinagar and the district administration.

At that time, the tribunal had also asked for details of any planned construction and an estimate of trees likely to be axed.

The response from NIT Srinagar was categorical.

In its affidavit, the institution said it had not been allotted any land in Newa. It clarified that the institute continues to function from its current campus in Hazratbal, Srinagar, spread over about 67 acres.“There has been no transfer, no possession, no cutting of trees,” the statement said.

The Deputy Commissioner of Pulwama also submitted a similar affidavit, confirming that no steps had been taken to acquire land or start any construction.

The affidavits further added that any future project would follow due process and obtain all necessary environmental clearances.

Still, residents and activists remain cautious.

The Karewas, or plateaus formed by ancient lake beds, are ecologically significant but often poorly protected. In recent years, large tracts have been lost to road expansion, brick kilns, and construction projects.

Experts warn that such changes can damage the region's already fragile groundwater and soil systems.

“This case shows how quickly things can change on the ground in Kashmir,” said Abdul Qayoom, an environmental scientist based in Srinagar.“One day, a plan is just on paper. The next, trees are gone, and there's no going back.”

For now, the people of Newa say they'll stay vigilant. Many believe the issue hasn't ended, only paused.

“Today it's the NIT, tomorrow it could be a shopping complex or a housing project,” said Razia Bano, a teacher in the village.“The only way to protect this land is to speak up before the first tree falls.”

The NGT order may have dismissed the petition on technical grounds, but it has also served as a warning. If development does come to Pulwama's Karewas, it will face a community that's ready to defend its roots.

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