Rebuttal on Press Reports w.r.t. Sukhna Lake

Korel, Chandigarh.29 November, 2019.

There have been Reports in the press clippings of few newspapers on dated 26.11.2019 regarding declaring of Sukhna as Wetland in the year 1988 wherein it was stated that Sukhna is declared as ‘Wetland’ by the Chandigarh Administration in the year 1988 itself and the Chandigarh Administration was not aware of it and is planning to notify it again.

It is hereby clarified that Sukhna Lake is in the process of being notified as ‘Wetland’ under the Wetlands (Conservation & Management) Rules, 2017 notified by the Government of India under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The draft notification declaring Sukhna as Wetland along with all Prohibited/Regulated/Promoted activities is  now under public domain for inviting feedback from various stakeholders. The Department of Forest & Wildlife, UT Chandigarh have earlier prepared a Brief Document on Sukhna Wetland and was submitted to the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Government of India wherein it was clearly stated that the UT of Chandigarh had declared Sukhna Lake as Wetland vide Chandigarh Administration Notification dated 6^th July, 1988. It is further clarified that the Chandigarh Administration after declaring Sukhna as Wetland in the year 1988 had also constituted a Steering Committee under the chairmanship of Adviser to the Administrator, UT Chandigarh for proper conservation and management of Sukhna Wetland which was further re-constituted in the year 1992 in which official as well as the non-official members were included and various activities were approved by the Steering Committee for protection and conservation of Sukhna Wetland.              Thus, it is to state that UT Chandigarh has always taken management of Sukhna Lake with due seriousness and sincerity. Therefore, there is no question of Chandigarh Administration being unaware of such declaration at this level.

The need of present Notification has arisen because of the new Rules framed by the Government of India under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 in which UT Chandigarh Administration to comply with the Rules namely Wetlands (Conservation & Management) Rules, 2017. On expiry of the mandated period of 60 days for receipt of suggestion and comments from all stakeholders, the draft Notification giving details of Prohibited/Regulated/ Promoted Activities which was not clarified in earlier notification will be issued as per prescribed procedure.