Response by Raja Muzaffar Bhat to MoEF&CC report on wetland protection, 24/11/2021
Response by applicant to report of MoEF&CC in OA No. 351 of 2019 in the matter of Raja Muzaffar Bhat Vs State of Jammu & Kashmir & Others.
The matter related to unscientific dredging, rampant illegal encroachments and dumping of municipal solid waste on the wetlands of Jammu & Kashmir namely Hokersar, Wular lake and Kreentchoo-Chandhara.
The MoEF&CC report talks about the number of Ramsar sites in India and the total area covered by them. However, declaring any wetland a Ramsar site does not ensure protection of wetlands in terms of its land use conversion. Time series mapping of East Kolkata wetlands, Deepor Beel are important examples of land use conversion in spite of them being declared as Ramsar sites.