As a slew of functions mark the celebration of the World Wetlands Day, wetlands in Kashmir are literally gasping for breath! There is nothing to celebrate as the valley is gradually losing wetlands to encroachments, siltation and pollution.

This year’s theme for the World Environment Day is ‘Protecting wetlands for our common future’, however, the pace of deterioration of wetlands is far more than feeble conservation measures. We hardly realise the immense ecological importance of wetlands. We treat wetlands as wastelands! It is a stark reality that wetlands in Kashmir are facing onslaught due to official apathy and societal greed. Wetlands are vanishing fast and turning into a concrete jungle in the shape of colonies.

It is ironic that despite legislation, destruction of wetlands is being allowed. We must realise the importance of wetlands for our survival; how wetlands act as a buffer for floods, clean the polluted water, and are considered as nature’s kidneys. We need to know that the flat topography of river Jhelum, spanning 175 sq km from south to north Kashmir, makes Srinagar vulnerable to flooding. It is the wetlands on the left and right of the river which act as reservoirs of floodwaters. But instead of preserving and protecting wetlands, these nature’s asset have been filled and buried!

Most of the wetlands in Kashmir have lost their carrying capacity mainly due to conversion into agriculture land or concrete landscape in the last over five........

© Greater Kashmir