Srinagar, Sep 14,: Landfilling along a portion of the Brari Nambal waterbody in the heart of Srinagar, now being used for parking vehicles, has raised questions over the protection of the lagoon and the monitoring of its vulnerable areas.
Photographs from the site show a sizeable stretch of what is stated to be a filled portion of the waterbody, with several cars parked on the reclaimed area. The location is close to the office of the J&K Lake Conservation and Management Authority (LCMA), raising questions over how the activity came to take place and whether it was detected while the filling was underway.
The immediate question for the authorities is whether the filled material will now be removed and the affected portion restored to its previous status.
Another question concerns the identity of those who carried out the landfilling and whether any permission was obtained for the activity. If no permission was granted, residents and observers said the administration should identify those responsible and initiate action under the applicable law.
Jammu Kashmir Apni Party president Syed Muhammad Altaf Bukhari has also publicly questioned the reported landfilling and alleged encroachment at Brari Nambal, asking how such activity could continue for nearly two weeks under the watch of the administration and which department was responsible for monitoring the site.
The issue assumes significance because the LCMA has been carrying out restoration-related work at Brari Nambal. During an inspection in July, the Authority’s Vice Chairman reviewed conservation and restoration works and stressed regular monitoring and long-term protection of the waterbody.
Earlier in August, LCMA officials again inspected Brari Nambal and reviewed shoreline cleaning and other restoration measures, with directions for removal of weeds, solid waste and debris and expediting conservation works.
The latest development therefore raises questions not only about the alleged fresh filling but also about the effectiveness of monitoring around a waterbody already undergoing restoration.
A retired government official familiar with the condition of Srinagar’s waterbodies said that restoration work would have little meaning if fresh filling and alteration of the waterbody were allowed to take place at the same time.
“The first responsibility should be to prevent new damage. If filling has taken place, the administration should establish who did it, whether any permission was obtained and what action followed,” he said.
Environmental observers said the affected portion should be surveyed and its status established through official records and on-ground measurement before any further activity is permitted.
The Brari Nambal issue has a long history of encroachment and degradation. The National Green Tribunal registered proceedings concerning pollution and encroachments at the waterbody and sought information from the authorities regarding the extent of encroachment, establishments occupying lake land and the future conservation plan.
With restoration works already underway, people now want the administration to clarify whether the newly filled portion will be cleared, whether the landfilling was authorized, who was responsible for it and why timely preventive action was not taken.
They said any unauthorized filling of the waterbody should be followed by identification of those responsible, restoration of the affected area and measures to ensure that similar activity does not recur. [KNT]
