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SRINAGAR: Government today informed the Legislative Assembly that concrete steps are being taken to address issues related to the closure of traditional stone quarries across Kashmir and to explore modalities for their revival, keeping in view both livelihood concerns and environmental requirements.
Deputy Chief Minister, Surinder Kumar Choudhary said that Government has constituted a Multi-Departmental High-Level Committee to examine and finalize the modalities for revival of customary stone quarrying at Panthachowk (Srinagar), Saderkoot Bala (Bandipora), and other locations. The committee held its preliminary meeting on October 16, 2025, and has sought inputs and recommendations from all stakeholder departments to expedite the process.
Replying to the Calling Attention Motion moved by MLA Hasnain Masoodi and others regarding the closure of traditional stone quarries, Deputy Chief Minister stated that prior to 2016, quarrying for extraction of masonry and building stones was governed under the Jammu and Kashmir Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1962, which allowed quarrying on short-term permits without the need for Mining Plans or Environmental Clearances.
He said that after the introduction of the J&K Minor Mineral Concession, Storage, Transportation and Prevention of Illegal Mining Rules, 2016, all individual quarrying sites were required to be grouped into clusters, and each cluster was mandated to obtain approved Mining Plans, Environmental Clearances, and Consents to Operate from competent authorities before formal issuance of quarry licences.
It informed that 35 quarry clusters have been declared across Kashmir Division under these provisions, covering 625 individual quarries. However, due to procedural and environmental constraints, only one quarry cluster — in District Ganderbal — has been issued a licence after completing all statutory formalities.
The remaining clusters, particularly in districts such as Anantnag, Pulwama, Srinagar, and Baramulla, have faced delays primarily due to environmental objections raised by Forest and Wildlife Departments and technical issues involving limestone deposits exceeding permissible chemical limits.
To address these challenges, Deputy CM said that the government has allowed erstwhile quarry holders to lift and transport weathered material for government works to safeguard livelihoods.
