Srinagar, Feb 5: the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued notice to the Jammu and Kashmir administration over alleged discharge of untreated sewage into the ecologically sensitive Manasbal Wetland, directing pollution control authorities to assess the lake’s water quality and identify sources of contamination, the Indian Express reported on Thursday.
The principal bench of the NGT, headed by Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Expert Member Dr A Senthil Vel, passed the directions while hearing a petition filed by environmental activist Raja Muzaffar Bhat. In its January 30 order, the tribunal asked the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee (J&KPCC) to ascertain the current status of water quality in the wetland and trace the discharge points of sewage and other pollutants.
The tribunal has sought a status and action-taken report from the authorities at least one week before the next hearing scheduled for April 22. Notices have also been issued to all respondents in the matter.
According to the petition, untreated domestic sewage from nearly 14 villages is allegedly entering the Manasbal Wetland through the Lar Canal in Ganderbal district, causing sustained deterioration of water quality and threatening the lake’s ecological balance.
Appearing for the petitioner, advocate Rahul Choudhary submitted that despite Manasbal’s recognised ecological and hydrological importance, basic safeguards — including functional sewage treatment infrastructure — remain either incomplete or ineffective. Photographs placed on record before the tribunal reportedly show visible sewage flow into the wetland.
The NGT was informed that Manasbal Wetland is a notified wetland under the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017, and figures in the official list of wetlands outside forest and wildlife protected areas in Jammu and Kashmir. The lake also finds mention in the National Wetland Atlas, highlighting its environmental significance.
The petition further referred to scientific studies indicating rapid proliferation of aquatic vegetation in the lake, attributed to nutrient enrichment from domestic sewage, solid waste and agricultural runoff — a process that experts warn could permanently alter the lake’s natural character.
Concerns were also raised over prolonged delays in completing a sewage treatment plant project initiated nearly a decade ago, along with administrative gaps in the Manasbal Development Authority. Settlements along the lake’s periphery, including Kondabal, were cited as areas where unregulated construction and lack of sanitation facilities have allegedly exacerbated pollution.
Referring to a 2017 Supreme Court judgment mandating strict protection of all identified wetlands across the country, the petitioner argued that continued pollution of Manasbal Lake amounts to a violation of statutory obligations imposed on the authorities.
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