SRINAGAR: The Environmental Policy Group (EPG) has lauded a landmark directive from the Supreme Court that mandates the protection of an additional 30,000 wetlands across India, significantly expanding the current protected network from 201,503 to over 231,503. This monumental judicial intervention stems from a Public Interest Litigation filed by environmental activists Anand Arya, advocate MK Balakrishnan, and the NGO Vanashakti.
The order, delivered by Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Ahsanuddin Amanullah, compels state and union territory governments to complete the demarcation and ground-truthing of wetlands within three months. It also calls for suo motu monitoring of 85 Ramsar sites, reinforcing conservation efforts at a national scale. This builds upon the court’s earlier conservation directives issued in 2017.
EPG hailed the ruling as a decisive step toward addressing long-standing failures in wetland conservation, particularly in ecologically sensitive regions like Jammu and Kashmir. The group emphasised that the order leaves no room for wildlife administrators to shirk their responsibilities. However, EPG also highlighted the dire state of several key wetlands in the region, including Hokersar, Haigam, Shallabugh, and Narakarra, where rampant encroachments, illegal activities, and administrative negligence threaten their ecological integrity.
Hokersar Wetland, once celebrated as the “Queen of Wetlands,” is facing severe restoration challenges despite significant investments in infrastructure to regulate water levels. Illegal earth excavation, noise pollution from heavy machinery, and continuous truck movement have driven migratory birds away, disrupting vital ecological cycles.
Haigam Wetland is grappling with silt accumulation, encroachment, and illegal land conversion into orchards and paddy fields. Shockingly, some of these encroachments involve employees of the Wildlife Department, in direct violation of the Ramsar Convention’s mandates.
Shallabugh Wetland, neglected since flood breaches earlier this year, has seen large portions of its area dry up, further undermining its ecological role. Other wetlands in the region, such as Mirgund, face similar challenges. Meanwhile, Narakarra Wetland/Nambal remains under threat from encroachments, despite status quo orders from a Division Bench in Jammu and Kashmir. Land mafias and questionable allocations to educational institutions complicate the situation.
The Supreme Court’s directive, informed by satellite data from SAC-ISRO, underscores the multifaceted benefits of wetlands, including their roles in biodiversity, climate regulation, and flood mitigation. EPG has called for immediate implementation of the order, comprehensive investigations into systemic wildlife management failures, and strict accountability for officials implicated in facilitating ecological encroachments.
“This judicial intervention is a watershed moment for environmental conservation,” EPG stated, urging authorities to enforce the court’s directives in letter and spirit. The group pledged to continue its advocacy to ensure the preservation and restoration of these vital ecosystems.
