Illegal mining in Kashmir Valley has moved beyond being a routine law-and-order issue. Equally troubling is the manner in which illegal mining thrives on weak enforcement and political patronage. Kashmir’s natural resources are finite and vulnerable, and their exploitation must be governed by strict scientific and legal standards. Natural resources are not private spoils to be plundered by a few while the many inherit the consequences. The fight against illegal mining is therefore not about paperwork or departmental procedure.