Shallabugh wetland turns into parched pasture

Srinagar, Nov 08: The Shallabugh wetland in central Kashmir, spread over thousands of kanals of land from Takenwari Srinagar to Sangan, is devoid of water this year with locals and environmental experts raising questions over lack of conservation measures.
Locals who reside along the wetland said the once pristine wetland has turned into a parched pasture and there are no signs of water owing to several reasons.
“Most of the areas of Shallabugh have completely dried up and there is no water. The wetland which was once abuzz with migratory birds has been losing its sheen,” said Javid Ahmad, a local resident.
The resident said animals are now grazing in the area which used to be inundated under water at Shallabug wetland and it has been severely affected.
He said the once famous water body has been partially damaged due to illegal activities like encroachments and throwing of silt and waste into it and it has lost its glory.
“It has been illegally encroached at many places. People take away wood from it. We have also seen people extracting soil from it for domestic use,” he said.
Ajaz Rasool, a Kashmir-based hydraulic engineering expert and environmentalist who recently visited the wetland as part of an Environmental Protection Group (EPG) said there is a need for immediate water management and conservation.
“This year there is no water in the wetland. If the situation continues like this then there would be a time when birds would not be coming there as they need healthy water and healthy habitat,” he said.
The expert questioned the lack of measures of the wildlife department and failure to reduce the impact of climate change on the wetland.
“The implication of global warming and climate change has set two records. Firstly Jhelum, the main river draining valley, has the lowest water level in the last 72 years. Secondly we had the 2nd hottest September day as recorded in the last 132 years,” he said.
Rasool said the managers of Wetlands should have been fully aware of the effects of global warming and climate change which are not sudden but have been witnessed since the past so many years.
“Wetland professionals world over are aware of it, debating it and formulating strategies to deal with it. Conservation plans remain confined to an old dated manual submitted to GOI which has not even been acted upon nor even a reprisal done for addressing effects of global warming and climate changes over the years that have passed,” he said.
The wetland is an important staging and wintering area for migratory birds and a breeding place for a variety of waterfowl species.
However, Wildlife Warden, Wetlands Division Kashmir, Ifshan Deewan said they have created a ring embankment in the wetland which will help for the retention of the water.
“With the help of the embankment we are going to revive the wetland. This time there is water and we are working for optimal water which would be retained within a short time,” she said.
The Wildlife Warden said last year they witnessed some 3-4 lakh migratory birds and they had organized an event as well.