SRINAGAR: The Department of Horticulture, Kashmir has held the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) responsible for extensive damage to a high-density apple orchard in Budgam, stating that the construction of a road/flyover blocked the orchard’s drainage system, resulting in severe waterlogging that destroyed hundreds of apple trees and affected the remaining plantation. The findings have been submitted before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in a status report filed in compliance with the tribunal’s directions.
The report, submitted in Original Application No. 229/2025 (Ghulam Nabi Bhat vs National Highways Authority of India), states that a three-member committee constituted by the Horticulture Department inspected the orchard following the NGT’s order dated May 8, 2025. The matter is now scheduled to be heard on September 15, 2025.
According to the committee, the six-kanal high-density apple orchard was established in 2018 under the Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP). Although the orchard is located in a low-lying area, adequate drainage channels had been created at the time of plantation to prevent water stagnation, allowing normal growth and fruit production until 2023.
However, the report says the drainage network was disrupted after NHAI undertook construction of a road/flyover nearly 30 feet from the orchard. The filling and compaction associated with the project blocked the orchard’s drainage channels, leading to complete water stagnation. Prolonged waterlogging resulted in root rot, affecting around 300 apple plants, while the remaining trees began showing yellowing leaves and stunted growth.
“The construction of the road/flyover approximately 30 feet from the orchard has blocked the drainage channels and compacted soil pores. This has resulted in severe water stagnation, which in turn has damaged the fruit plants in the orchard,” the report concludes. A subsequent damage assessment submitted by the committee found that the orchard comprises 995 apple trees of Gala, Red Delicious, Fuji and Golden varieties. Of these, 300 trees have completely dried up or been damaged, accounting for nearly 30 per cent of the plantation. The remaining 695 trees continue to suffer due to water stagnation during rainfall, with officials estimating an additional 20-25 per cent loss to the surviving plants.
The Horticulture Department has urged the tribunal to take the status report and supporting affidavit on record as compliance with its earlier order. The affidavit, filed by Chief Horticulture Officer, Budgam, Shafiqa Khalid, certifies that the report is based on official inspections and departmental records.
The report noted that the orchard had remained healthy and productive for several years after its establishment, with the drainage system effectively preventing water stagnation despite the land being low-lying. It was only after the highway construction disrupted the natural drainage channels that the orchard began showing signs of distress, indicating a direct link between the infrastructure work and the deterioration of the plantation.
The committee has recommended prompt reconstruction or improvement of the drainage network to prevent further damage to the remaining apple trees. It warned that unless corrective measures are taken at the earliest, the surviving plants could suffer additional losses, adversely affecting both productivity and the livelihood of the orchard owner. The case stems from a petition filed before the National Green Tribunal by orchard owner Ghulam Nabi Bhat, who sought restoration of the damaged orchard and compensation for the losses allegedly caused by the highway project. Acting on the plea, the tribunal had directed the Horticulture Department to conduct an independent assessment and place its findings on record.
The status report forms part of the Horticulture Department’s official response before the NGT and includes two separate committee reports prepared after site inspections conducted in June and July this year. Both reports consistently attribute the orchard’s damage to blocked drainage caused by the nearby road construction and document the extent of losses suffered by the plantation.
With the department’s findings now before the tribunal, the matter is expected to come up for further consideration on September 15, when the NGT is likely to examine the reports and decide the course of action, including issues relating to restoration of the orchard and compensation sought by the petitioner.
