Srinagar | September 29: The Government Tuesday clarified its position on the requirement of Environmental Clearance for extraction of minor minerals, in the wake of judicial pronouncements of the Hon’ble Supreme Court and directions of the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
The Government stated that, vide S.O. 119 of 2026 dated 22.04.2026, it had omitted the provisions contained in S.O. 599 of 2022 dated 15.11.2022, which had earlier provided exemption from Environmental Clearance for manual customary extraction of sand, silt and clay by local Hanjis, Khanias, Muleteers and others.
This was stated by Deputy Chief Minister, Surinder Kumar Choudhary while replying to a calling attention Notice moved by MLA Sheikh Ahsan Pardesi regarding the need to keep in abeyance the recent order regarding Environmental Clearance for lifting/removal of loose material and to review its implication for stone quarry operations, employment and availability of construction material.
Dy CM stated that the exemptions earlier available under the said provisions are no longer permissible in view of the Supreme Court judgement, and that further extraction of minor minerals has to be undertaken strictly in alignment with the notification dated 28.03.2020. Stone quarrying, it added, also requires Environmental Clearance, given the scope of exemption under the said notification.
The Government said that any extraction of minor minerals can accordingly be undertaken only in strict accordance with the statutory and regulatory framework presently in force, including obtaining requisite regulatory clearances such as Environmental Clearance, wherever applicable.
Clarifying the nature of its earlier communication dated 08.09.2026, the Government submitted that it was in the nature of a direction to ensure compliance with the statutory and regulatory framework presently in force, and does not by itself introduce any new or independent requirement of Environmental Clearance.
