Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Nov 21: The Environmental Policy Group (EPG) today expressed grave concern over the deteriorating condition of the Mirgund wetland, urging a high-level inquiry to determine the factors that led to its current state.
The EPG revealed that a detailed visit to the wetland, also known as Mirgund “Jheel,” located 16 kilometers from Srinagar on the route to Gulmarg, highlighted alarming issues.
“Once a thriving bird sanctuary spanning approximately 4 square kilometers and primarily fed by the Sukhnag Nallah and the Jhelum Flood Spill Channel, the wetland now lies in an utterly desolate state,” the group said.
The EPG noted that mismanagement, lack of timely intervention, and insensitivity have turned the wetland into a parched landscape.
During a recent visit, the EPG team, including Convener Faiz Baskhi, Er. Ajaz Rasool, Dr. Tauseef Bhat, Ahmed Ayaz, Reyan Sofi, and Javaid Ahmad Ganie, found the wetland devoid of water and migratory birds, a sign of severe ecological degradation.
“This alarming transformation has turned a once-vibrant ecosystem into a barren grassland, raising serious concerns about mismanagement, neglect, and insensitivity to environmental preservation,” the group said.
The drying up of the wetland has also led to encroachment and illegal activities in the area.
“Some locals have begun cultivating portions of the wetland, ploughing the land and preparing it for agricultural use. Land mafias have also exploited the situation by marking plots with cement blocks and undertaking earthfilling to raise ground levels, likely for sale or construction purposes,” the EPG stated.
The team also found that the wetland’s boundaries, as recorded in official revenue documents, were indistinguishable on the ground, further exacerbating the encroachment issue.
“Although the Wildlife Department has begun efforts to reclaim encroached areas on the northern side of the wetland by erecting boundary pillars, the process has been agonizingly slow, taking over 15 years of legal battles in the courts,” the group said.
“The Sukhnag Nallah, which could supply water to the wetland, remains disconnected due to a closed MS iron gate at the offtake point in Rakh Kawoosa village. The team observed that opening this gate could immediately restore water flow to the wetland, but no action has been taken in this regard,” the EPG said.
While demanding an inquiry, the group emphasized the importance of preserving wetlands’ ecological balance and natural hydrological connections.
“Globally, the Rights of Wetlands movement underscores these principles-rights that have been grossly overlooked in the case of Mirgund,” the EPG stated.
To ensure the protection and restoration of the wetland, the EPG intends to pursue legal recourse and communicate its findings to the Government of Jammu and Kashmir.
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