SRINAGAR: The National Green Tribunal has expressed serious concern over the worsening state of wetlands across Jammu and Kashmir after water samples from a large number of sites were found to fall outside prescribed quality parameters. The Tribunal, while hearing a suo motu case based on a media report originally carried by the Jammu-based newspaper Daily Excelsior, said that the extent of deterioration demanded immediate remedial and punitive action from the authorities.
The bench comprising Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Chairperson, and Dr A Senthil Vel, Expert Member, is examining widespread illegal encroachment, cultivation inside wetland zones, waste discharge, and heavy sedimentation as key causes behind the decline. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change informed the Tribunal through an additional affidavit dated November 15, 2025, that ground-truth of wetlands across the Union Territory was underway, and that comparison with older revenue records would be reflected in the next report.
Turning to the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee’s report dated November 10, 2025, the Tribunal noted that water quality from 88 wetlands sampled across eight districts of Kashmir division showed a disturbing trend. Most failed to meet Class-B outdoor bathing standards, particularly with respect to Biochemical Oxygen Demand, Dissolved Oxygen and faecal coliform levels.
Bandipora recorded 26 failures out of 28 samples for BOD, with one also failing faecal coliform norms. In Kupwara, 19 of 23 samples did not meet BOD criteria, while Ganderbal saw 9 of 14 samples fail. Six of seven samples in Baramulla failed, and all six samples in Pulwama fell short of BOD and DO standards. Only one wetland in Anantnag met the criteria. In Srinagar, all five samples failed BOD and four were contaminated by faecal coliform. Budgam recorded one failure for BOD and two for DO.
The Jammu division fared no better. All wetlands tested in Jammu South, Jammu North, Kathua and Samba North failed to meet Class-B standards. The few exceptions across the region included Bimal Nag in Kishtwar, which passed one of its two samples; two wetlands in Samba South; Sanasar and Jabor Sar in Ramban; and Dalsar Lake in Udhampur.
Despite the alarming results, the Tribunal noted that the Pollution Control Committee’s report contained no mention of action taken against violators or polluters responsible for the deteriorating conditions.
It also sought a compliance report on the Supreme Court’s order of March 5, 2019 in Mantri Techzone Pvt Ltd, which mandates a buffer zone of 75 metres around lakes and wetlands as a strict no-construction area. The Tribunal said that adherence to this guideline must be reflected in all future submissions.
The Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee assured the Tribunal that full details of corrective and punitive action would be included in its next compliance report. The Ministry of Environment and Forest has similarly been directed to file an updated report covering progress on ground-truthing, GIS uploads of wetland boundaries, remedial steps taken and compliance with the Supreme Court’s buffer-zone directive.
The matter is listed for the next hearing on February 13, 2026.
