Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Aug 28: The High Court has sought response from the Government with regard to approval of the Integrated Management Plan (IMP) for some lakes and wetlands in Jammu and Kashmir.
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The Division Bench of Chief Justice Arun Palli and Justice Rajnesh Oswal has sought response after the court was informed that for Surinsar and Mansar lakes, the IMP is yet to be received from the Government.
The additional affidavit further revealed that the IMP for Wular lake has since been approved by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change. Faced with this, Mohsin Qadiri, Sr. AAG, submitted that the necessary measures shall be completed within a week from today.
With respect to Haigam and Shallbugh WetLand Conservation Reserve, it is stated that IMP is under technical appraisal by the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee and the Deputy Solicitor General of India, submitted in response that he would take up the matter with the concerned authorities and ensure that the response from IIT Roorkee is received within a week from today to enable the authorities to process the matter.
As far as Tsokar and Tso-Morari Lakes, it is stated that IMP is yet to be received from the Union Territory of Ladakh. DSGI appearing for GoI submitted that the necessary approval/clearance shall be agreed upon within a week from today to avoid any further delay.
“In the light of the above, for the present, we do not consider it necessary to pass any formal order. We are assured by learned counsel appearing for the respective parties that by adjourned date, a specific affidavit indicating the progress made on the ground must be submitted”, the DB said.
The court has also been apprised that there are approximately 33 villages around Wular lake, and the authorities have apparently failed to take any steps to ensure that no garbage from the adjacent villages is dumped in the lake area for that Rs. 200 crores by the Central Government were provided in this regard, but the authorities have apparently failed to engage full-time officials/officers for the conservation/preservation of the lake.
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