*State Water Policy never framed in J&K
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Apr 15: In what could be termed as height of non-seriousness, nobody in the PDP-BJP Government is bothered about preservation of wetlands/marshland and sanctity of scared River Tawi, which are otherwise facing onslaught of encroachments and pollution with every passing day.
Most shockingly, the officers of the concerned departments are completely ignorant about the explicit directions of the State High Court in this regard passed more than two months back for compliance in a time-bound manner.
The issue of preservation and restoration of wetlands/marshland, which play pivotal role in minimizing the impacts of the floods, came to the notice of State High Court through different Public Interest Litigations (PILs) whereby it was submitted that the concerned authorities of J&K were not initiating required steps to remove encroachments on wetlands and marshlands and preserve them on a mission mode basis.
Through these PILs, the indulgence of the High Court was sought for passing necessary directions to the concerned authorities for strict implementation of Jammu & Kashmir Water Resources (Regulation and Management) Act, 2010 so as to ensure development, management planning, utilization and monitoring of water resources in the State by removing all the encroachments.
It was also submitted before the High Court that if no focus is laid on the preservation and restoration of wetlands and marshland the situation would become most disastrous in the coming years as in the recent years a large number of human lives were lost in the devastating floods caused due to interference in the natural flow of water and shrinking of wetlands/marshland.
Expressing serious concern over the lack of focus from the Government and its agencies on these issues of immense importance, a Division Bench of the High Court comprising Chief Justice N Paul Vasanthakumar and Justice Tashi Rabstan on February 12, 2016 issued explicit directions to State through Chief Secretary, Commissioner/ Secretary, PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control and other concerned officers for treating these issues seriously.
While expressing concern over failure of the Government to frame State Water Policy in terms of J&K Water Resources (Regulation and Management) Act, 2010, the DB had directed for framing of policy for preservation and restoration of wetlands/marshland as also for preserving the sanctity of River Tawi from being polluted by waste and toxic water emanating from authorized/ unauthorized colonies by including stringent and effective measures. The DB had fixed timeframe of two months for strict compliance to these directives.
However, nobody in the Government has shown any seriousness towards ensuring compliance of the directives of the High Court despite the fact that time-frame of two months has already lapsed. What to talk of acting on the orders of the High Court several concerned officers are even not aware of the same. “Framing Water Policy is the mandate of J&K Water Resources Regulatory Authority, which is presently defunct during the past several months”, said an officer of the PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Department wishing anonymity.
“I am not aware of direction of High Court in this regard but such a policy is imperative for development, management, planning, utilization and monitoring of water resources in the State. Under the Act of 2010, the Authority is also empowered to impose complete ban on encroachment on water bodies, wetlands, water courses and reclaim such water bodies, wetlands and water courses”, he further said.
In response to a question, he said, “we had heard that steps were initiated by the Authority to prepare the State Water Policy but whether the same have reached the logical conclusion is not known”, he further said.
About preserving the sanctity of River Tawi, he said, “this is the mandate of Urban Environment Engineering Department (UEED)”. However, sources said that UEED is still groping in dark about keeping check on flow of waste and toxic water in sacred River Tawi. “The DPRs are being formulated during the past several years without identification of source of funding”, they added.
Chief Wildlife Warden, J&K, Deepak Khanna, when contacted, said, “I am not aware of any direction from the High Court about framing of plan/scheme for preservation and restoration of wetlands/marshland”. When such an order was passed?, he asked.
“We have certain rules about preservation of wetlands/marshland and you can download the same from the internet for reference”, he said in response to another question, adding “we are doing whatever is possible to keep check on encroachments on wetlands and their shrinking”. He, however, admitted that wetlands/marshland play crucial role in minimizing the impacts of the floods.
All this clearly indicates that nobody in the Government is bothered about preservation of wetlands and sanctity of river Tawi besides formulating State Water Policy, which has never been framed in Jammu and Kashmir till date.
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