Police Post, flood forecasting system yet to be established
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, July 19: In order to ensure that area of world famous Gharana wetland doesn’t shrink further, Division Bench of State High Court comprising Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sanjeev Kumar today directed the Wildlife Department to immediately start fencing of area demarcated by the Revenue Department and complete the same in a time bound manner. Moreover, the DB has stressed the need for prompt removal of waste to check environment degradation and establishment of flood forecasting system.
When the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) titled Rattan Singh Versus State and others came up for hearing, Deputy Advocate General Ahsan Mirza submitted a status report on behalf of Divisional Commissioner in terms of order dated May 31, 2017 mentioning that field staff of the Revenue Department has demarcated 97.17 kanals area of Gharana wetland in the presence of Sub-Divisional Magistrate R S Pura, Superintendent of Police Headquarters, Tehsildar Suchetgarh and officers of Wildlife Department.
The perusal of the status report, the copy of which is available with EXCELSIOR, revealed that Police Post has yet not been established although explicit directions were issued in this regard by the DB on last date of hearing.
In the report, it has been submitted that Range Officer, Wetland Jammu has been directed by the Divisional Commissioner and IGP Jammu to show two sites near inspection hut at Gharana to SHO R S Pura for establishment of Police Post.
The report further revealed that Block Development Officer, Suchetgarh visited the spot regarding construction of drains and soaking pits and accordingly estimates for construction of the same amounting to Rs 25.98 lakh were submitted to the higher authorities for technical sanction and release of funds, which, however, are awaited.
It is pertinent to mention here that since the wetland is being drained with waste water of nearby households, dumping of cow dung, agricultural waste etc, construction of drains and soaking pits is imperative in order to prevent waste water entering the wetland.
After going through the status report and hearing Senior Advocate M K Bhardwaj with Advocate Karan Sharma for the PIL, the Division Bench, in the open court, directed the Wildlife Department to immediately start fencing of Gharana wetland especially when the Revenue Department has demarcated 97.17 kanals area. “This exercise should be completed in a time bound manner so that demarcated area is protected from encroachments”, the DB added.
About the establishment of Police Post, the DB reiterated, in the open court, that this direction should be strictly complied with and compliance report should be filed by next date of hearing as Police Post near Gharana wetland would assist the officials of Wildlife Department in taking various measures on spot for preserving the wetland. Even directions were issued for establishment of flood forecasting system.
The DB, in the open court, directed Rural Development Department to remove waste material from near the wetland so as to check environmental degradation. “The process of giving technical sanction and funds for construction of drains and soaking pits should be expedited”, the DB further said while granting six weeks time for ensuring compliance to the directions.
The status report is silent about action on other aspects relating to Gharana wetland highlighted by the then Sub-Divisional Magistrate R S Pura Sheetal Nanda vide communication No. SDMR/ Gharana/ 267/ 2009 dated July 30, 2009 addressed to the Divisional Commissioner.
It is pertinent to mention here that Court Commissioners on the directions of the Division Bench of the High Court had conducted investigation of Gharana wetland and had mentioned in their report that world famous wetland would completely vanish in few years if timely remedial measures were not taken on war footing basis. The directions issued by the DB earlier and today were based on the findings of the Court Commissioners.
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