POOJA DHULL Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This petition is filed in public interest drawing attention of the Court to initiate immediate action for conservation of the wetlands available in the States of Punjab, Haryana and U.T. Chandigarh and to implement the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 in its true letter and spirit, further to remove the encroachments from the wetlands and to cleanup the hazardous waste from the wetlands posing danger to the flora and fauna of the area.

(2.) Harike wetland popularly known as "Harike Pattan" is situated in the Taran district, Punjab and is a man-made wetland which gets inflow of water from Beas and Sutlej rivers and was formed way back in 1953 by constructing the head works across the Sutlej river. It is perhaps the largest wetland of the north India which spreads over 4,100 hectares and is having estimated area of 86 Sq. Kilometers spreading in three districts of Punjab. Keshopur wetland is a community wetland situated in District Gurdaspur, Punjab having a total area of around 850 acres which spread in two villages. Kanjali wetland is situated in District Kapurthala of the State of Punjab which spreads in over 490 hectares. Ropar National wetland is another Ramsar site of international importance and is having an area of around 1365 hectares which is also a man-made wetland of lake and river formed by the 1952 construction of a barrage for diversion of water from the Sutlej river for drinking and irrigation supplies.

(3.) In the State of Haryana, though there is no wetland of international importance listed in the Ramsar Convention but are of great value. These wetlands Bhindawas (Jhajjar) and Sultanpur (Gurgaon are of national importance amongst many other small wetlands. Bhindawas wetland is having an area of 432 hectares and Sultanpur is having an area of 145 hectares. Sultanpur wetland is one of the notified bird sanctuaries in Haryana.