 Sanjay Pandita
Early Times Report
Jammu, July 30: Responding to concerns raised in a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report over the disappearance and degradation of lakes and wetlands in Jammu and Kashmir, the Central Government on Thursday informed the Lok Sabha that a series of institutional, ecological and technological measures are being implemented to protect and restore the Union Territory's fragile water bodies.
Replying to a starred question on "Shrinking or Vanishing Lakes", the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) said Jammu and Kashmir has established a comprehensive wetland conservation framework, including the constitution of the Union Territory Wetland Authority, chaired by the Chief Secretary, and District Wetland Management Units to coordinate conservation, monitoring and restoration efforts across the UT.
The Government's response comes against the backdrop of observations made by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), which had highlighted the alarming disappearance and degradation of several lakes and wetlands in Jammu and Kashmir due to encroachment, pollution, siltation and weak management practices.
The Ministry informed Parliament that the conservation of Wular Lake is being undertaken by the Wular Conservation and Management Authority (WUCMA), while Dal and Nigeen Lakes are managed by the Lake Conservation and Management Authority (LCMA). Manasbal Lake is under the care of the Wular-Manasbal Development Authority (WMDA).
It added that ecologically important wetlands, including Hokersar, Haigam, Shallabugh, Surinsar-Mansar and Gharana, are being protected by the Wildlife Protection Department, while wetlands falling within reserve forests are safeguarded through regular monitoring and habitat conservation by the Forest Department.
According to the Ministry, authorities are carrying out periodic wetland inventories, satellite-based mapping and field verification to monitor changes in the extent and health of wetlands. Restoration efforts include site-specific management plans, desiltation of heavily silted areas, restoration of natural streams and nallahs, selective de-weeding, catchment area treatment and hydrological management to maintain optimum water levels.
The Government said surveillance has also been strengthened through anti-encroachment and anti-poaching measures, construction of watchtowers, scientific solid waste management, biodiversity monitoring and annual waterbird censuses to preserve the ecological character of wetlands.
The Ministry further informed the House that the revised national inventory of wetlands and water bodies, prepared using high-resolution satellite imagery and field verification, has identified 1,793 wetlands and water bodies across the country.
The Centre said wetland conservation is also being supported through the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017, which prohibit encroachments, dumping of waste, discharge of untreated effluents and permanent construction within wetlands. Financial assistance is also being provided under the National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA), under which around Rs 1,170 crore has been released as the Central share for the conservation of nearly 172 wetlands across India.
The Government maintained that these interventions are aimed at restoring the ecological health of Jammu and Kashmir's lakes and wetlands while preventing further degradation of the Union Territory's critical freshwater ecosystems. |
