Kashmir Impulse Desk
Srinagar, Aug 19
The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has sought an explanation from the Jammu and Kashmir government for failing for nearly a year to respond to a central government communication on conservation plans for three wetland reserves.
A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Kumar and Justice Muhammad Yousuf Wani issued the direction while hearing a Public Interest Litigation concerning environmental protection.
The court also questioned why other Ramsar Sites in J&K had been excluded from the management-planning process.
The matter arose after the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change told the court that the Jammu and Kashmir government had submitted Integrated Management Plans on Aug. 25, 2025, under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme, National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystem, or NPCA.
The plans covered the 2025-26 to 2029-30 period and sought consideration and administrative approval for three wetland reserves.
The ministry said, however, that the proposals did not conform to the requirements of the NPCA scheme.
It subsequently wrote to the J&K government on September 10, 2025, directing it to submit separate Integrated Management Plans for each wetland in accordance with the NPCA Guidelines, 2024.
According to the ministry, the government had not responded to that communication.
The High Court took note of the delay and directed the government to file an affidavit explaining why it had not responded to the ministry’s September 2025 communication.
The government must also explain why separate management plans for the three wetlands had not been resubmitted in the required format.
The bench further sought an explanation for the exclusion of other Ramsar Sites in J&K from the Integrated Management Plans.
The proceedings come at a time when the future of the NPCA scheme itself is under consideration.
The ministry informed the court that the scheme, which was initially valid until March 31, 2026, had received an interim extension until September 30, 2026.
A proposal to continue the programme for the 2026-31 financial cycle is currently before the competent authority, the ministry said.
The court granted the J&K government three weeks to submit its affidavit.
The proceedings put renewed focus on the implementation of wetland conservation measures in J&K and on whether management plans for protected aquatic ecosystems are being prepared and submitted in accordance with central guidelines.
