Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Aug 1: The High Court today sought an Action Taken Report (ATR) with regard to conservation and preservation of Wular lake in North Kashmir and information about the utilization of money sanctioned by the Government of India for that purpose.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice Rajesh Sekhri in a PIL with regard to restoration of original glory of the Wular lake has directed the Advocate General to file the ATR within two weeks.
Court has also directed the amicus curiae to bring on record the report of his inspection of the lake as also the suggestion he proposes to make for development of the lake. Court was informed that sufficient funds are being provided by the Central Government for the development of the lake.
Chief Executive Director of Wular Conservation Management Authority (WUCMA) submitted before the court that in accordance with the direction of this court, he is coordinating and supervising the development and cleaning work of the Wular lake.
He informed the court that a report in this regard is being prepared but he still has to improve upon it for which he requires some more time. Amicus Curiae to the PIL Advocate Nadeem Qadri submitted before the bench that he himself visited the site and accepted that work of preservation and cleaning of Wular lake is going on but the dredging activity which is being undertaken is going at a very slow pace and according to him, excessive amount is being spent on it which is actually not needed.
“We also request the Advocate General to coordinate between the various departments and to place before this Court the precise stand of the respondents with regard to the conservation and preservation of Wular lake as also regarding the utilization of money sanctioned by the Union of India for the above purpose”, read the directions.
As per information provided to the court there was 380 kanals and 11 marlas of the Wular lake under encroachment and efforts were being taken to retrieve the said land but none of the authorities came forward with any specific time limit within which they propose to retrieve the said land.
It was also recorded that Rs. 200 crore more have been provided by the Union of India for conservation and management of wetland. The report on record mentions that under the Wular Action Plan, about Rs. 125 crores have already been spent.
It was also recorded that residents of about 33 villages around the Wular lake dump garbage into the Lake area and none of the authorities are able to check the said dumping or to provide any alternative site.
Court was pained to notice that the Government has created the WUCMA for a specific purpose but the Authority was not able to come up to the mark, rather, it appears to have been wasting the money sanctioned and provided by the Union of India. “The court is not aware as to what action or steps the said Authority has taken for development of tourism around the Wular Lake”, court had recorded.
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