EPG Welcomes LG’s Call to Protect Kashmir Water Bodies, Seeks Accountability on Encroachments

SRINAGAR: The Environmental Policy Group (EPG) has welcomed Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha’s recent call for a crackdown on encroachments along water bodies, which the administration has linked to the devastating floods witnessed in the region. At the same time, the group has urged systematic action, accountability, and urgent protection of fragile wetlands, which serve as natural flood basins and remain vital to Kashmir’s aquatic ecology.

Convenor of the EPG, Faiz Bakshi, while appreciating the Lieutenant Governor’s initiative, raised searching questions about how such large-scale encroachments were permitted in the first place. “How did these encroachments come up? Under whose supervision were they allowed to grow unchecked? And will those responsible be held accountable?” Bakshi asked.

Citing information obtained through an RTI filed by activist MM Shuja, the group said wetlands such as Hokersar, Haigham, Shallabugh, and Mirgund, alongside Aanchar, Dal and Nigeen lakes, have seen tens of hundreds of kanals illegally occupied. In the case of Aanchar Lake, EPG noted that thousands of kanals have not only been encroached upon but also sold as residential plots and even mutated in revenue records as proprietary land. “A 25-foot-wide road has been laid deep into Aanchar Lake to aid encroachment and facilitate its sale,” the group said.

Equally concerning, the EPG said, was the case of Hokersar wetland. Here, inlet and outlet hydraulic structures had to be constructed at a cost of about Rs 47 crore after faulty dredging caused the wetland to drain out and remain dry for over three years. Despite this investment, EPG alleged, the Wildlife Department has failed to maintain the required water levels, bowing to interference from “hidden hands.” “Why spend Rs 47 crores if the objective is not allowed to be served?” Bakshi asked.

At Haigham Wetland, the group claimed, encroachers often cut embankments to drain out water, reducing both the spread and volume of the internationally significant site. It further pointed out that illegal constructions, roads and bridges within the jurisdiction of the Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LCMA) around Dal, Nigeen, Khimber and Chattergam were often carried out by “influential and powerful individuals” without intervention from enforcement agencies.

The EPG also drew attention to broader threats to the valley’s fragile ecology, including the vandalisation of streams and rivers, illegal mining, and degradation of karewas. It questioned how such activities continue unchecked despite the existence of public awareness campaigns and administrative mechanisms. “Which agencies are supporting or protecting these encroachers?” Bakshi asked.

While acknowledging the Lieutenant Governor’s appeal for a people’s movement to safeguard water bodies, the group stressed the need for decisive, time-bound and transparent action. “Wetlands and water bodies are the lungs of Kashmir’s environment. Their encroachment is not just an environmental concern but a loss for future generations,” Bakshi said.

The group concluded that restoration of encroached wetlands, strict action against encroachers and negligent officials, and sustained public awareness are essential for protecting Kashmir’s environment. Referring to the recent floods, the EPG warned that “the actions of a small section of society in collusion with accomplices result in unimaginable loss and damage to large populations after only a few days of rain and a looming threat of flood.”

“The LG’s statement is a positive first step, but only decisive action and accountability will ensure that our precious water bodies and wetlands are preserved for generations to come,” the EPG said.