EPG Slams Government for Political Interference, Unscientific Planning in Jammu Kashmir’s Environmental Projects

SRINAGAR: The Environmental Policy Group (EPG) has expressed serious concern over what it called the government’s continued disregard for environmental protection and sustainable development in Jammu and Kashmir. The group said that political interference and unscientific planning have undermined conservation efforts across key ecological zones, including wetlands, water bodies, and urban green spaces.

In a statement issued in Srinagar, EPG Convenor Faiz Ahmad Bakshi said that a “troubling pattern” of political intervention had emerged in recent years, which has severely weakened genuine environmental initiatives. “Encroachers and vested interests are being shielded under political influence, which has seriously damaged efforts to restore fragile ecosystems such as Hokersar and Shalbugh wetlands,” Bakshi said.

He noted that in Hokersar, some encroachers were falsely claiming their paddy fields had been submerged, whereas the water level was being maintained at an ecologically balanced level. “These misleading claims are being used as a pretext to justify illegal land reclamation, posing a grave threat to the wetland’s survival,” he added.

Bakshi said that desilting work at Shalbugh wetland had been arbitrarily stopped, allegedly due to political interference, a move he warned could heighten flood risks in adjoining areas. “Such decisions have no environmental justification and are purely politically motivated,” he said.

The EPG Convenor also criticised what he described as “disturbing interference” in Srinagar’s urban environmental management. “In Eidgah and Shalbugh wetlands, a prominent political figure disrupted ongoing conservation works. In one instance, a contractor was stopped from carrying out properly approved desilting operations. This culture of interference is unacceptable and must be checked immediately if we are to preserve our ecological assets,” Bakshi said.

Raising alarm over the proposed flyover project at Polo Ground in Srinagar, he warned that the plan would lead to the loss of a large portion of the city’s central green space and result in the felling of nearly 90 chinar trees. “These chinars are not just trees but part of Kashmir’s living heritage. The project will wipe out Srinagar’s central sports and recreational area. It will be as big a disaster as Nallahmar. Instead of managing traffic scientifically, the government is destroying green open spaces in the name of development,” he said.

Bakshi said the government’s approach to development appeared contradictory. “On one hand, the Chief Minister talks about developing international-standard sports facilities in Budgam and sanctioning land to IUST for a sports complex — which EPG welcomes — but on the other hand, existing green and sports areas like Polo Ground are being sacrificed. The government must end such conflicting policies,” he said.

Referring to ongoing construction near Nigeen Lake, Bakshi demanded that work on the proposed sports stadium be stopped immediately. “The project violates environmental norms, wetland protection guidelines, and High Court directions, as it falls within a 200-metre buffer zone of the lake. Any such construction is illegal and endangers Nigeen’s fragile ecosystem,” he said. He urged the administration to halt the work and conduct a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) before taking any further decision.

“The government cannot promote development at the cost of ecology. Nigeen Lake is one of Kashmir’s most pristine water bodies, known for its ecological and scenic value. Allowing construction here will set a dangerous precedent and cause irreversible damage,” Bakshi warned.

He further said that the government must make Environmental Impact Assessments mandatory for all projects near rivers, lakes, wildlife conservation parks, wetlands, or other ecologically fragile zones.

The EPG also reminded the administration that the demarcation and conservation of wetlands and water bodies are being carried out under the Supreme Court’s December 2024 directions, which made it mandatory for all states and Union Territories to identify, mark, and protect their wetlands.

“Instead of yielding to political pressures, the government of Jammu and Kashmir should empower and support departments engaged in conservation work. The environment must not become a casualty of political convenience,” Bakshi said, urging the administration to adopt a transparent and science-based approach that places ecology at the heart of development planning.