Gharana Wetland Conservation Reserve along the India-Pakistan border in RS Pura has been struggling for survival.
According to locals, the reservoir is shrinking as it is getting filled with silt and waste from villages besides witnessing encroachment.
The locals said that the department had failed to conserve the reservoir notified in 1981.
They said initially Panchayats used to take care of the wetland spread over 1600 kanal at that time.
“The reservoir is in a terrible condition. The waste of homes and cattle goes into the reservoir and silt has reduced it further,” said a local.
The locals said that while their crops get damaged due to these birds, they realise that this wetland could become a source of their earning if this site was developed in a sustainable manner by the government.
“People from across J&K and outside come to see Suchetgarh International Border and many of the visitors and tourists also come here. However, it is disappointing that the single road leads them towards Gharana Wetland that has no parking facility and sitting area,” said a local youth.
Located 35 km from Jammu city, the migratory birds reach Gharana after crossing Himalayas from Central Asian countries of Mangolia, China, and Siberia and other countries with the onset of winters.
Besides, bar headed geese, the migratory birds like purple swamp hens, black winged stilts, gadwalls, egrets and many other species stay in Gharana Wetland for three to four months.
During this period, the local farmers and bird conflict start, but fortunately no bird hunting has been reported.
It is home to different over 150 bird species while the wetland witnesses the arrival of thousands of migratory birds every winter.
Talking to Greater Kashmir, Sarpanch Gharana, Gurdayal Singh Majotra said, “From 1952 to 2000, Panchayats used to take care of Gharana Wetland and the reservoir area was huge.
However, after it was taken over by the concerned department, the wetland reservoir has been confined up to few kanals only due to encroachment and silt. No proper de-silting work has been taken to protect the reservoir.”
He said that the Gharana Wetland was demarcated in a zigzag manner with 408 kanal kept for the preservation of the wetland.
However, the locals oppose the compensation being offered to them claiming that it is very less.
They demand agricultural land in place of agricultural land at another suitable area or compensation at par with the market rates.
The Sarpanch Gharana said that the villagers were also not given crop compensation.
Wildlife Warden, Gharana Wetland, Anil Attri told Greater Kashmir that some NGOs had gone to the High Court on the issue of wetland.
“It was on the directions of the High Court that 408 kanal land was demarcated to immediately initiate the revival plan of the wetland,” he said. “Our department has given compensation to the revenue department for the disbursement of compensation among the farmers whose land has been demarcated for wetland protection and extension.”
Attri said that the department would implement a management plan for next five years for the conservation of the wetland after taking over the land.
“Though we do de-weeding from time-to-time, the additional land for wetland will be immediately used for the preservation measures like extension, birds-grazing points, fencing, management of garbage, bio-gas plant for villagers, waste (from locality) to be channelized out of wetland and other such steps will be taken to promote eco-friendly tourism,” he said.