Hokersar wetland was one of the important mesmerising wetlands that was designated as Ramsar site of international importance. The wetland was called the Queen of Wetlands as it was providing a number of ecological and economic services due its intact natural morphology and physiology including its stable and sustainable hydraulic parameters. The wetland was also home to thousands of migratory and resident birds. The wetland was almost in good form and condition until September 2014 and thereafter its conditions deteriorated largely due to disastrous floods in September 2014 followed by many anthropogenic reasons and factors. Massive floods of September 2014 brought complete destruction and devastation to the Hokersar wetland. Flood had loaded huge quantities of silt, mud, biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste into the wetland that had completely choked the wetland and important feeding channels passing through the wetland. The wetland was further affected by reckless dredging that had completely changed the morphology and physiology of the wetland and put it suffocating severely on the last deathbed. The September 2014 floods and reckless dredging were two immediate reasons responsible for the dying of the wetland. Due to sudden and fast dying of the Hokersar wetland, all flora and fauna species present in the wetland became extinct. Disruption of food chains and food webs affected severely. Lotus roots, water chestnut, many fish species lost with the dying and devastation of the wetland. Marginal people who were dependent on the wetland lost their source livelihood and their employment opportunities were closed. Thousands of migratory bird species’ also had abandoned wetland for migration and now few hundred migratory birds hardly abode the wetland throughout the year due to its pathetic conditions. For revival and restoration of Hokersar wetland, the Environment Policy Group in particular and civilized citizens having environmental conservation ethics in general brought the dying, drying and pathetic conditions of Hokersar wetland into the notice of the Jammu and Kashmir government. The Jammu and Kashmir government has seriously noted the pathetic conditions of the dying Hokersar wetland and directed all the concerned departments for its speedy revival, restoration and conservation. The irrigation and flood control department has been constructing Inlet and outlet gated regulators at the Zainakote and Sozieth sides respectively. The main aim of the gated regulators is not only to maintain the uniform water level all across the Hokersar wetland during all the seasons but also to provide a side spillway to let off flood flows downstream in the flood spill channel. The inlet gated regulator at Zainakote side has been constructed in such a way that it will arrest about 80000 cum of silt that will be auctioned annually. The revenue generated from the sand auction will be utilized for the conservation and welfare of the Hokersar wetland. A trash gate has been installed by the Irrigation and Flood Control department at the Zainakote side to stop the inflow of biodegradable and non-biodegradable solid wastes into the wetland and the department will install more in future at many sites for the new life of the Hokersar. The IFC has also created temporary earthen cofferdams for migratory and resident birds. It is pertinent to mention that temporary cofferdams have been attracting many species of migratory birds and these would prompt them to stay in the Hokersar and avoid their early leave for other water bodies or return journey to their native foreign countries. Dredged materials like soil, silt, muck and other solid wastes accumulated in feeding channels and wetland are being carried away from the Hokersar wetland area. Its removal will help in maintaining the uniform bed level of the wetland and restore its past pristine and mesmerising glory like morphology, physiology and biotic nature. Keeping in view the dying and drying of the vast area of Hokersar wetland, the irrigation and flood control department has also linked Doodhganga Nallah with the Flood Spill Channel that has not only created present pondage for migratory and resident birds but has maintained a good water level during the current water deficit season. The wildlife department is also at the forefront for its revival and restoration. It has created few periphery channels and they are developing tourist related infrastructures on directions of the worthy commissioner secretary.
Although work for restoration of the Hokersar is in full swing, there are tough and important challenges ahead for the government and all the concerned departments. The biggest challenge is the removal of a large area of encroached land illegally encroached by vested encroachers for the past many years. Whosoever visits Hokersar wetland will see a vast area of encroached land divided into small plots fenced with barbed wires under vegetable and oats grass cultivation. It is pertinent to mention that many encroachers have been cultivating paddy on their encroached wetland for years and some have developed illegal constructions on the Hokersar wetland. The next important challenge is the removal of huge quantities of silt and clay annually brought by the Flood Spill Channel passing through the wetland. The FSC carries additional flood discharge from the river Jhelum to prevent flooding in Srinagar city. The Doodhganga Nallah that joins the FSC at Bemina also carries huge quantities of silt and clay and deposits in the FSC and the Hokersar wetland. The silt and clay should be removed annually from the wetland and it will help not only in keeping the wetland in a good condition but also will generate huge revenue and create employment opportunities for the unemployed youth. Massive urbanization, heavy pollution, unplanned growth etc. are other challenges for the concerned authorities’. Hokersar continues to be used as a dumping site by unethical and uncivilised people. Preventing uncivilised people from using Hokersar wetland as a dumping site and discharging of solid and liquid waste into it is another important challenge. The Pollution Control Board of Jammu and Kashmir and the Municipal committee of Srinagar, Baramulla and Budgam districts have to play their important role in preserving and restoring the Hokersar wetland. Municipal committees should launch joint anti encroachment drives under the supervision of the Deputy Commissioners and the SSPs’ concerned in order to retrieve the vast area of encroached wetland. Demolition of wire fencing, concrete structures, and temporary sheds is the need of the hour for wetland restoration; otherwise, allowing encroachments or not acting against existing encroachments on wetland areas is just putting a cart before the horse. An insecure and unmarked whole wetland area easily invites encroachers to encroach the wetland. The wild life department should be very proactive and vibrant for its preservation. They should secure the whole wetland area by developing an attractive fence line along its whole boundary. NGOs’, Civil society, religious leaders, civilized people should also come forward and join hands together with the government and the concerned authorities for its speedy revival and restoration for the benefit of all the flora, fauna and the environment. Let’s hope it’s speedy revival and restoration very soon.
( (The author a teacher at Govt Boys Higher Secondary School Beerwa Budgam. The views, opinions, facts, assumptions, presumptions and conclusions expressed in this article are author’s own and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”.)
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