SRINAGAR: The Department of Wildlife Protection (DoPW), Wetlands Division (WD) Kashmir today rebutted the news item published in local English daily on 30 May 2024, headlined ‘Residents protest Wildlife Department’s halt on a critical road project in Budgam’.
In an official statement issued here, the Department of Wildlife Protection, Wetlands Division Kashmir authorities have clarified that the article has been published by misrepresenting the facts.
The fact is that the User Agency i.e. Executive Engineer PW (R&B) Budgam had started the construction of a Road along the Bund in the vicinity of the Hokersar Wetland Conservation Reserve. The field staff of the Department of Wildlife Protection anticipated that the Road may pass through the Hokersar Wetland Conservation Reserve and subsequently asked the User Agency to suspend the work till the alignment of the Road is checked with respect to the boundary of the Wetland Conservation Reserve, the statement read.
The Range Officer concerned brought the matter to the notice of the Wildlife Warden Wetlands Division, who in turn immediately issued the directions for the joint survey of the proposed Road.
The official communication further mentioned that in the joint survey GPS track of the proposed Road was recorded and converted into a KML file, which in turn was superimposed on the KML file of the perimeter/demarcation line of Hokersar Wetland Conservation Reserve.
The proposed alignment of the road was found to intersect with the Demarcation line of Wetland, mainly at the starting and terminal part of the Road. The stretch of the proposed Road that was found to pass through the Wetland Conservation Reserve approximately measures nearly 1.5 KM in length
Wildlife Warden, Wetlands Division conducted a field visit jointly with the Assistant Executive Engineer and other staff of the PW (R&B) Department for ground truthing of the Maps generated after the first joint survey. The intersection of the Road with the Wetland Demarcation line was ascertained and various alternative options were explored
It is worth mentioning here that the demarcation of the Hokersar Wetland Conservation Reserve was jointly conducted during 2018-19 by the Revenue Authorities, District Administration, Photo Interpretation (PI) Division, Forest Department in coordination with the Wildlife Protection Department and subsequently a demarcation Map was generated which, was duly signed by all the concerned Officers/officials who were part of the demarcation process.
On 25 May 2024 inspection of the said Road was conducted by the Regional Wildlife Warden, Headquarters, J&K at the request of the Wildlife Warden, Wetlands Division with the intent to have his expert advice for the disposal of the matter. Earlier observations made by the undersigned were found to stand, wherein, the first and the terminal parts of the Road were found intersecting the Wetland boundaries.
Vide this office letter No: WLW(WL)/Estt/2024-25/302-05 Dated: 28-05-2024 User Agency/ Executive Engineer, PW (R&B) Division Budgam was advised to consider the realignment of the Road at the places where the intersection was evident. He was further advised that proposal of the Road can be uploaded on the PARIVESH Portal for the due clearances required in the matter.
PARIVESH Portal is a single window system, for grant of Forest and Wildlife clearances in case a non-forestry work is to be executed inside a Forest or Wildlife Protected area.
The allegations levelled by the local inhabitants are concocted and baseless as it has been made clear by this Division time and again that proprietary rights (if any) of the fringe communities shall be protected, however, land use shall be regulated and governed strictly as per the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 and in accordance with the orders/directions issued by National Green Tribunal (NGT) in the matters of Wetland Conservation.
As a matter of record, it is worthwhile to mention here, that as per the directions of NGT land use of Wetlands shall not be subjected to any change.
Construction of the Road through the Hokersar Wetland Conservation Reserve is a clear violation of directions of NGT, User Agency Executive Engineer, PW(R&B) Division Budgam was advised that in case the Road shall pass through the Protected Area, due clearance from the competent authority is required.
