Srinagar, Jan 23: The preparation of the State of Environment Report (SOER), a mandatory survey aimed to assess damage to the Jammu and Kashmir’s fragile environment has hit a roadblock as most of the Valley based Government departments have failed to submit data to the nodal agency regarding the developmental activities and environmental safeguards undertaken by them. 
 The survey assumes significance in the backdrop of unplanned developmental activities, unchecked felling of trees and vandalization of water resources in Kashmir over past two decades which are considered to be among the factors responsible for erratic climate change in the Valley.
 The preparation of SOER was approved by the Ministry of Environment and Forests in the 10th Five Year Plan and the process was launched in 2002. While most of the states and union territories have prepared the SOER, however the process faced inordinate delay for past 8-years in JK mainly due to lack of expertise and infrastructure.
 However, following an advisory by the Planning Commission, the State Government in November last year kick-started the preparation of SOER and appointed the Department of Environment, Ecology and Remote Sensing as nodal agency for endeavor.
 For preparation of the baseline SOE report, the nodal agency had on priority sought information from all the line departments of the State to assess the Government’s current and proposed policy as a response to check further degradation of environment and integration of environmental safeguards in policy, decision-making and implementation.
 “However most of the Valley based departments are yet to submit the data. We had sent the concerned departments many reminders underscoring urgency of preparation of the base line report. But there has been no response,” SOER’s State Coordinator, Mutahirra Abida Wahid Deva told Greater Kashmir.
 Officials said the defaulter departments including Tourism, PDD, PHE, Housing and Urban Department and the Lakes and Waterways Development Authority. On the contrary, most of the Jammu based departments have been at the forefront of submitting the relevant information to the nodal agency, officials said. 
 “This has enabled us to seek clarifications and more information from department in Jammu. We had set March as deadline for preparation of the baseline report. For this a team of nodal officers and an expert committee was constituted to review the gathered data before publication. However the lack of cooperation by the Valley based departments is all set to the delay preparation of the baseline report.  This will defeat purpose of the survey and subsequently lead to haphazard planning in the State which will be detrimental to our fragile eco-system,” Deva said.
 She said in absence of preparation of SOER, the JK will lose the funds under a centrally sponsored scheme ‘Green India’ which finances only the eco-friendly projects.
 “It will be in the best interest of our state if all the departments help us in the endeavor to pave way for proper environmental planning to maintain a balance between development and environment,” she said.
 When contacted the Minister of Environment, Mian Altaf told Greater Kashmir that he would look into the matter.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 23 Jan 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 23 Jan 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 24 Jan 2011 00:00:00 IST