Srinagar: Chief Secretary A K Mehta has told the Principal Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that he would personally oversee the wetland execution plans in Kashmir.
A petition on this issue ‘Raja Muzaffar Bhat versus State of J&K’ listed before the tribunal is pending disposal before the NGT for almost 3 years.
The petitioner has prayed for the prevention of unscientific dumping of waste and encroachment of Wullar, Hokersar, and Kreentchoo Chandhara wetlands.
The chief secretary assured the tribunal that the execution of action plans would be overseen on regular basis by him along with Commissioner Secretary Environment and Forest.
The NGT also directed the chief secretary to consider the suggestions of the petitioner Raja Muzaffar Bhat who had suggested that local preachers, NGOs, theatre groups, and religious leaders be involved in creating awareness on conservation of Kashmir’s wetlands, particularly Hokersar, Wullar, and Kreentchoo Chandhara wetland reserves.
The counsel of the petitioner Saurabh Sharma who appeared on behalf of the petitioner told the NGT that the J&K government had not acted upon the previous orders and advisories of the tribunal as only paperwork was being done and wetlands like Wullar and Hokersar, in particular, were being encroached and polluted by was solid and liquid waste dumping.
During the hearing, certain suggestions were put forward by the petitioner before the NGT Principal Bench in response to which the NGT Principal bench in its written order said, “We have noted the stand of the Chief Secretary that the execution of action plans will be overseen regularly by Secretary Environment and Forest, J&K as well as by the Chief Secretary, J&K personally at least once a month for further continuous action.”
About ensuring better water quality in the wetlands was managed, the NGT order said that water quality of the wetlands concerning BOD needs to be less than 3 mg/litre, fecal coliform should meet norms, and contamination due to toxic constituents either directly or through runoff from the catchment should be prevented and biodiversity of the wetlands be maintained.
“Monitoring of steps for compliance of rules about such wetlands ought to be at district level by the District Magistrate at state-level by State Wetland Authority and at national level by National Wetland Authority. We are confident that such initiatives in monitoring will go a long way in protecting the wetlands which have significant environmental functions,” the order stated.