SRINAGAR, Feb 11, 2026 — Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary announced in the Legislative Assembly today that a High-Level Multi-Departmental Committee has been established to finalize the modalities for reviving customary stone quarrying activities. Responding to a query by Legislator Hasnain Masoodi, the Deputy CM stated that the committee is focusing on key locations including Panthachowk in Srinagar and Saderkoot Bala in Bandipora. He noted that the committee has already conducted several stakeholder meetings and is set to submit its recommendations shortly. Notably, the draft report will be shared with relevant members of the Legislative Assembly before its final submission to the government to ensure transparency.
Addressing the rehabilitation of former quarry holders, Choudhary explained that the department has implemented a strategy to club individual, ancestrally occupied quarries into Quarry Clusters. While 10 clusters were initially identified in Pulwama districts—including Lethpora, Mandakpal, Khrew, and Wuyan—legal hurdles remain. The Deputy CM revealed that no applicants have yet submitted the mandatory Environmental Clearance (EC) or Consent to Operate (CTO) required for formal licensing. Consequently, three of these clusters have already been withdrawn.
To protect the livelihoods of workers during this regulatory transition, the government has allowed the disposal of loose material for use in public works. According to the Deputy CM, quarry holders in the Kashmir Division, such as those in the Booh Awantipora cluster, have been permitted to transport thousands of metric tonnes of stone to secure their income. The session, which also featured supplementary questions from Legislator Hilal Akbar Lone, underscored the government’s effort to balance environmental regulations with the economic needs of the local mining community.
