Shabir Ali
Around 10 kilometers from Srinagar city, Hokersar Wetland, which is known to be the home of tens and thousands of Migratory birds, is located at Zainakoet area of Srinagar. It is the largest bird reserve in the Kashmir Valley, serving as an important staging ground for medium and long distance migratory shorebirds, geese, cranes, ducks and other species.
Over the years, the wetland has been receiving domestic waste from all the residents, who live in the adjacent areas. Discharge of domestic waste into the wetland, primarily through the intel streams, has led to excessive weed growth and eutrophication, both of which pose a great threat to the reserve.
Ghulam Mohammed (36) told The Kashmiriyat that everyday, people would throw domestic waste into the Hokersar wetland, posing a serious threat to the aquatic life. He also said that the concerned officials seemed to be very lazy when it came to taking some action.
“Hokersar Wetland is home to thousands of migratory birds. Due to human intervention, the number of birds is getting low. Concerned officials should take immediate steps that can end discharging of domestic waste into wetland,” he said.
Ghulam Mohammed expressed that the concerned department must atleast raise awareness about the importance of the Wetland. “I have observed that the people who dwell around the Wetland are hugely responsible for the ruin that has been caused to the wetland,” he added.
The Kashmiriyat contacted the Range Officer Wetland, Suhail Ahmad, who said that the department was on toes to protect the environment of Wetland at all levels. “However, the residents are adamant at throwing domestic waste into it,” he added.
He further said that their department had launched cleanliness drives along with Srinagar Municipality, in which tons of waste were removed.
“On one hand, we remove the waste from the Wetland and on the other, people are continuously destroying the habitat of aquatic life,” Suhail said.
“No other option is left with the department, we will lodge FIRs against those found involved in the degradation of Hokersar wetland, and strict action will be started against them,” he added.