Rampant mechanised riverbed mining in Kashmir's rivers, particularly the Vaishav tributary, has led to a severe decline in fish populations and disrupted traditional livelihoods. Mohammad Altaf Bohru, a fisherman, along with others in his village, has experienced a collapse in fish catch due to excessive sand mining, impacting the river ecosystem. The environmental degradation caused by the use of heavy machinery has resulted in water source depletion, farmland drying up, and even mining-related deaths. Despite regulations, both legal and illegal mining activities persist, flouting environmental guidelines and negatively affecting local communities and ecosystems.