| DB seeks action plan on Wular, Surinsar-Mansar and Ladakh lakes | | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, Sept 1: The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has called for urgent steps to finalize and implement conservation strategies for major lakes and wetlands across J&K and Ladakh, including Wular, Surinsar-Mansar, Haigam, Shallbugh, Tso Kar and Tso-Morari, while expressing concern over prolonged delays.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Arun Palli and Justice Rajnesh Oswal, while hearing PIL on wetland protection, took note of status reports and affidavits submitted by the Union Territory administrations and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
The court was informed that the Integrated Management Plan (IMP) for Wular Lake has been approved by the Ministry. However, IMPs for Surinsar and Mansar Lakes are still awaited from the J&K administration.
For Haigam and Shallbugh Wetland Conservation Reserves, the plans are under technical appraisal by IIT Roorkee, and the Union Government assured that responses would be expedited within a week.
With respect to Tso Kar and Tso-Morari Lakes in Ladakh, the IMPs are yet to be received. The Deputy Solicitor General of India assured the court that necessary approvals and clearances would be processed "within a week" to avoid further delay.
Amicus Curiae Nadeem Qadri raised serious concerns that despite ?200 crore being allocated, no effective measures were taken to prevent garbage dumping by 33 surrounding villages into Wular Lake. The Bench directed that a specific affidavit addressing this lapse be filed before the next hearing.
The PIL has been listed for October 6, 2025, along with connected PIL No. 345/2006. The court has directed that specific affidavits showing ground-level progress be placed on record by then. (JNF) |
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