Integrated Management Plan for Wular

Third party monitoring is must to see Rs 150 Crores are utilized properly  

ON August 3^rd of this month, the Chief Secretary Dr Arun Kumar Mehta chaired the second meeting of the State Wetland Authority (SWA) for the Union territory of Jammu & Kashmir. Chief Secretary Dr Mehta is also the Chairperson of this authority which has been constituted under the Wetland Conservation & Management Rules 2017. Principal Secretary, Jal Shakti Department, Principal Secretary, Housing & Urban Development Department, Commissioner/Secretary, Forest, Ecology & Environment Department, and Commissioner/Secretary, Tourism Department along with Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) and concerned HoDs participated in the meeting.

The Department of Forest, Ecology and Environment had sent a proposal to the Government for Wular lake conservation which was approved by the wetland authority. During the meeting, the Wular lake was designated as a wetland in terms of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. Pertinently, the Wular lake is spread over 13,000 hectares  (13 square kms) of area which is a designated Ramsar Site of international importance since 1991.

However, Wular is marred by large scale encroachments and siltation. The unscientific waste disposal on the banks of Wullar by several municipal institutions and local population are major challenges that need to be addressed.

Role of SWA 

Wetlands are the most threatened ecosystem as per the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services- IPBES. At its 27^th session in 2013, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Governing Council authorized the Executive Director, within available resources, to provide the secretariat and administrative arrangements for the IPBES secretariat. Current staff of the IPBES secretariat are employed by UNEP. As per IPBES, the major threats to wetlands are due to reclamation and degradation activities like drainage and landfill, pollution, hydrological alteration, over-exploitation resulting in loss of biodiversity and disruption in ecosystem services provided by them. According to UNESCO, the threat to wetlands will have an adverse impact on 40% of the world’s flora and fauna that live or breed in wetlands. The wetlands in Kashmir valley particularly Wullar ,Kreenchu Chandhara, Shalbugh and Anchar are under serious threat. The queen of wetlands (Hokersar or Hokera) has dried up during last few years due to apathy of the Government. Inspite of huge rainfall this summer , the water level has not increased in this wetland which is also a Ramsar site. In other states and UTs the situation is similar and that is the reason that in every state and union territory of India a State Wetland Authority (SWA) has been constituted under Wetland Conservation & Management Rules 2017. The SWA has to develop a comprehensive list of activities to be regulated and permitted within notified wetlands and their zone of influence. The SWA can also take up following activities

• Recommend additional prohibited activities for specified wetlands.
• Define strategies for better use of wetlands.
• Recommend measures for wetland conservation and for raising awareness among its stakeholders and local communities with respect to the importance of wetlands.

NGT’s Intervention 

Last year, in November, the Chief Secretary had assured the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that the execution of action plans will be overseen and monitored on a regular basis by the Government as the tribunal had issued a detailed judgement on conservation of Wullar , Hokersar and Kreechu Chanhara wetlands.This author had moved to NGT as authorities instead of acting and facilitating the conservation work were themselves destroying the Wullar , Hokersar and Kreenchu Chandhara wetlands. The petition was filed in 2018 and a detailed judgement was issued by the Principal Bench of the NGT on 25.11.2021. The tribunal directed the Govt of J&K to prepare an action plan in respect of all the three wetlands within a month which was prepared by the Wildlife Conservation Department.  The order dated 22.7.2021 sought personal appearance of the Chief Secretary J&K and action plan preparation. The order reads:

“Let an action plan in respect of each of the wetlands be prepared within one month for action in a time bound manner, with budgetary support and identified accountable persons. The plan may include among others remedial action against weed infestation, sewage discharges, solid waste disposal, encroachments etc. This may be overseen by the Chief Secretary, J&K in view of the significance of the matter and continued violation of orders of the Hon’ble Supreme Court, noted earlier. The Chief Secretary, J&K to remain present in person on the next date, by video conferencing, with compliance status as on 31.10.2021”

Chief Secretary Dr A K Mehta appeared before the NGT wherein he was directed  to consider the suggestions of this author (petitioner). The suggestions  I had made were to involve local preachers, NGOs, theatre groups and religious leaders in creating awareness on the conservation of wetlands. In addition to it I had suggested holding monthly meetings on Waste Management in Wetland areas by Regional Wildlife Warden Kashmir Wildlife Department, Mission Director SBM Grameen (Rural Sanitation Deptt) J&K and Director ULB (Urban Local Bodies). It was also suggested that the Chairpersons of District Development Councils (DDCs) Budgam, Bandipora & Pulwama and Principal Secretary Rural Development J&K Govt be taken on board while executing Solid and Liquid Waste Management Programmes in Wetland villages/areas. The suggestions also sought directions to be issued for measures for monitoring and assessment to determine whether the condition of wetlands is improving, neutral or declining and report to this effect be submitted to the Tribunal.

In response to this, NGT Principal Bench in its written order stated that they have noted the stand of the Chief Secretary, J&K that the execution of action plans will be overseen regularly by Secretary Environment & Forest, J&K as well as by the Chief Secretary, J&K personally at least once in a month for further continuous action.

“As regards the suggestions of the applicant, the same may be duly considered by the Chief Secretary, J&K, to the extent not already considered,” the bench said.

According to Regional Wildlife Warden Raashid Naqash, as part of approved Management Action Plan (MAP) Rs 3 crores have been approved for eight wetlands this year under Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA). Out of this Rs 1 crore has been provided for Hokersar as well.

Conclusion 

As J&K Wetland Authority has approved  Rs 150 Crore Integrated Management Plan for Conservation of Wular lake to promote an integrated and multi-disciplinary approach for conservation and management of the water body, it is impressed upon the Chief Secretary to ensure third party monitoring of the entire programme so that the funds are spend judiciously with better transparency and accountability . The executing agency must make voluntary disclosure of the funds being spent and the technologies that will be put into use. The entire work should be scientific and should match up to international standards. Focus should be on integrated solid and liquid waste management and Govt must hire services of veteran limnologists and wetland specialists to execute the project.

Views expressed in the article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the editorial stance of Kashmir Observer 

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