Unregulated placer gold mining raises concerns in GB

Placer gold mining is accelerating across Gilgit-Baltistan's rivers and streams, but authorities warn the extractive rush poses serious environmental and infrastructure risks. Mining companies, operating in violation of environmental protection laws, are using heavy machinery to dig gold from riverbeds, often dangerously close to the Diamer-Bhasha Dam, roads, and bridges. The operations discharge untreated wash water and debris directly into rivers, contaminating drinking water supplies for local communities, Dawn reports. Officials have begun enforcement—one company in Hunza was fined one million rupees and shut down—but regulators say they lack the manpower to monitor mining sites across the region as the industry continues to expand.

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