No conservation plan for want of proper demarcation
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Oct 14: Shocking it may sound but it is a fact that four wetland reserves of Jammu province, which were notified under the provisions of J&K Wildlife Protection Act, 1978 over three and half decades back, have yet not been formally handed over to the Wildlife Protection Department by the Revenue Department for their proper conservation.
The absolute non-serious approach of the concerned authorities is notwithstanding the fact that Division Bench of State High Court both in Jammu and Srinagar is repeatedly issuing directions for conservation of all the wetlands so as to avert the threats of floods.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that Forest Department vide Order No.FST/20 of 1981 dated February 4, 1981 accorded the sanction to notify five wetlands of Jammu province namely Pargwal, Gharana, Sangral, Kukrian and Nanga in pursuance to the Cabinet Decision No.35 dated February 2, 1981 under the provision of J&K Wildlife Protection Act, 1978.
In the Cabinet decision as well as order of the Forest Department the area of Pargwal wetland reserve was reflected as 12154 acre while as that of Kukrian wetland reserve as 6000 acre. Similarly, the area of Sangral wetland reserve was mentioned as 1729 acre and that of Nanga wetland reserve as 3781 acre.
It is pertinent to mention here that the boundaries of Pargwal wetland reserve are spread over to Chak Malpur, Battan Balla, Takho Chak, Chicken Neck area, Bhatairi, Sarkapur and Chak Karpal villages while as area of Kukrian wetland reserve is spread to Batore, Bangore, Kukrian, Sandun and Makwal villages.
Likewise, the area of Sangral wetland reserve is spread over to Assa Chak, Kulian, Tankanwali, Raipur Saiydan and Chandu Chak villages and Nanga wetland reserve is spread over to Purpur, Tanda, Chak Paras and Nanga villages. All these four wetlands as well as Gharana wetland reserve are situated close to the India-Pakistan International Border.
Though 36 years have lapsed since the notification of these wetland reserves under Jammu and Kashmir Wildlife Protection Act, 1978 yet no step has been taken so far for formally handing over these wetlands to the Wildlife Protection Department, sources said while disclosing that Wildlife Protection Department has written numerous letters to the Revenue Department seeking formally handing over of wetlands but what to talk of compliance even no written response has been given to the Wildlife Protection Department.
“No doubt, the J&K Wildlife Protection Department is managing the area with regard to the watch and ward and anti-poaching activities by deploying its officials but it is not in a position to ascertain the present area of these wetland reserves in the absence of proper demarcation by the Revenue Department authorities”, sources said.
“Neither the Revenue Department nor the Wildlife Protection Department is aware of actual area of these wetland reserves. Moreover, they don’t know how much area of these wetlands has shrunk during these 36 years”, they said, adding “it is also not known how much area of these wetlands has been encroached by the people living in the villages in the vicinity of these water bodies”.
A senior officer of the Wildlife Protection Department, while confirming that these wetlands have not been formally handed over to them by the Revenue Department, said, “unless demarcation is done by the Revenue Department on the basis of records we will not be able to take steps for the conservation of these wetlands and check their further shrinking”, adding “we can draw plan for conservation of each of these wetlands and seek funds from the Government for this purpose only when we exactly know the present boundaries of these wetlands”.
In response to a question, the officer didn’t rule out the possibility of shrinking of boundaries of these wetlands at large scale during the past 36 years. He cited the example of Gharana wetland reserve, whose present area turned out to be only 98 kanals during demarcation on the directions of the High Court as against 1500 kanals reflected in the records of the Revenue Department.
“The absolute non-serious approach of the Revenue Department in formally handing over the wetlands to the Wildlife Protection Department is notwithstanding the fact that both the wings of the State High Court have been repeatedly issuing directions for conservation and protection of wetlands across Jammu and Kashmir”, sources said.
The issue of conservation of Pargwal, Kukrian, Sangral and Nanga wetland reserves will also come up for arguments before the Division Bench of State High Court in Jammu in next few days as on September 9, 2017 the DB had directed the State to file status report with regard to these wetlands while hearing a Public Interest Litigation titled Rattan Singh and others Versus State of J&K and others.
It is pertinent to mention here that conservation of wetlands across the State became debatable issue following devastating floods of September 2014 as experts believe that had the wetlands been properly preserved the extent of damage during the deluge could have been less as wetlands absorb huge quantity of water.
Follow our WhatsApp channel