Aafrin Kidwai 
Wular Lake, North Kashmir is Asia’s second largest freshwater lake
Following reports of dumping of municipal solid waste in the Wular Lake, North Kashmir the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has stepped in. It has sought a factual and action-taken report from the Member Secretary, State Wetland Authority, Collector, Baramulla and the Jammu State Pollution Control Board on the same. The NGT has directed the SPCB to be the nodal agency for coordination and compliance, reports India Legal.
Wular Lake is the second largest fresh-water lake in Asia.
The Bench was hearing an application filed by Raja Muzaffar Bhat, chairman of the Jammu & Kashmir RTI Movement. Bhat has alleged that the Municipal Corporation of Sopore and the district administration of Baramulla were dumping garbage in the Wullar Lake, around Ningli Tarzoo in Baramulla district in J&K.
Moreover, the lake in question is a wetland and a Ramsar site and is thus an eco-sensitive area. Dumping of waste is not only in violation of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, but also the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017, submitted Bhat.
The Tribunal has listed the matter for next hearing on October 15.
Picture Credit: Maxx786 at English Wikipedia, Wullar – Extraction of Aquatic Plants, CC BY-SA 3.0
