The Environmental Policy Group (EPG) has raised alarm over the creation of an illegal garbage dumping yard near the Guryul Ravine Fossil Park in Khonmoh, Srinagar, calling it a grave ecological crime and an assault on a globally significant geo-heritage site. The fossil park, estimated to be 252 million years old, is the only known site preserving conclusive evidence of Earth's first recorded tsunami, making it invaluable for geologists and climate scientists worldwide.
Widely recognized as a key Permian-Triassic boundary site, Guryul Ravine offers rare insights into the planet’s mass extinction and recovery phases. Its fossil-rich sedimentary layers and tsunami-induced structures have drawn global academic attention and are featured in major scientific studies.
Despite its critical importance, a waste dumping ground has been illegally established near the site, violating environmental laws including the Environment (Protection) Act, Wildlife (Protection) Act, and Solid Waste Management Rules. This action also defies previous High Court orders and a central government ban on any mining or disruptive activity in the area.
EPG expressed deep dismay at the continued neglect of the site. “This is not just environmental damage; it is heritage vandalism,” the group said, warning that fragile fossil beds and sediment layers are at risk of permanent destruction.
The group has urged immediate action from relevant authorities including the J&K Pollution Control Committee, Wildlife Protection Department, and Srinagar District Administration. They demand immediate dismantling of the dumping site, accountability for officials involved, and legal safeguards including declaring the area a No-Dumping Zone and notifying it as an Eco-Sensitive Area.
EPG confirmed its intention to move the High Court again for enforcement of conservation orders. It has also appealed to the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor, Chief Minister, and Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir to urgently intervene and uphold their responsibility to protect this irreplaceable natural heritage.
“Guryul Ravine is not just a Kashmiri or Indian asset—it is a global monument of Earth’s evolutionary history. Its protection is a sacred duty to science, to history, and to future generations,” EPG concluded.