Writes to CM Omar Abdullah , seeking high level probe
Srinagar, Nov 8: The Environmental Policy Group (EPG) has issued a scathing call to action, urging the Jammu and Kashmir government to investigate the alarming degradation of the region’s premier wetlands at the hands of errant Wildlife Department officials.
The EPG’s on-the-ground findings expose a shocking pattern of negligence, encroachment, and resource extraction – often with the apparent collusion of the very officials tasked with conservation. The “Queen of Wetlands,” Hokersar, is now struggling to survive, while Haigham faces widespread siltation and illegal land grabs, some by retired and serving Wildlife Department staff.
“The drying up of our premier wetlands has caught the attention of wetland experts of international repute, but our calls for action have fallen on deaf ears,” the EPG laments, decrying the “casual, non-serious attitude and insensitivity of officials” towards this crisis.
As a Ramsar signatory, India is legally bound to safeguard these ecosystems, which are the lifeblood of local communities. The EPG now demands a high-level inquiry to investigate the complicity of Wildlife Department officials and urgent steps to restore water levels, halt illegal activities, and hold the perpetrators accountable.
“The restoration of Kashmir’s wetlands is essential not only for the environment but also for the well-being of the local communities,” the EPG asserts. This crisis, they warn, has the potential to wreak havoc on the region’s fragile ecology and the livelihoods that depend on it.
