Progress report submitted by the Joint Committee constituted by the Government of Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir under the Chairmanship of Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir in response to the National Green Tribunal order of December 16, 2019 in the matter of Raja Muzaffar Bhat Vs State of Jammu & Kashmir & Others.

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The matter related to unscientific dumping of municipal solid waste into the Hokersar wetland, Wular lake and Kreentchoo-Chandhara wetland in district Budgam in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Department of Wildlife Protection J&K had awarded study to formulate an Integrated Management Action Plan (IMAP) for all the nine protected wetlands of Kashmir including Hokersar Wetland Conservation Reserve to the Water Resource Management Centre, National Institute of Technology, Srinagar (NIT). The study would adopt hydrological and biodiversity conservation mapping and modelling using GIS, RS and Hydro-infomatics approach.

Human settlements that have come up very close to the perimeter of the Hokersar wetland particularly on Zainkot, Hajibagh, Soibugh, Daharmullah nd Narbal village sides during the last two decades. The Department of Wildlife has started a fresh drive against these encroachments.

The Department of Irrigation and Flood Control (Kashmir) has already completed construction of 30 m wide channel across Hokersar wetland - this has increased the hydraulic efficiency of the channel during the floods besides bringing continuity in the water flow from Padshahi bagh to downstream Hokersar wetland.