Illegal farming continues in Pong wetland despite SC ban
Despite a Supreme Court ban imposed in February 2000 on all non-forestry activities in wildlife sanctuaries across India, illegal cultivation has resumed on wildlife sanctuary land near the Pong wetland in the lower Kangra hills. Local wildlife authorities have struggled to prevent influential individuals from cultivating this land, resulting in growing frustration among residents of about a dozen gram panchayats surrounding the Pong wetland.
According to reports, after harvesting their paddy crops, the offenders recently began plowing the same land to prepare for sowing rabi crops. Environmentalists Milkhi Ram Sharma, Kulwant Singh and Ujagar Singh, who have been actively opposing this illegal farming for years, quickly documented the activities in a video and notified local wildlife officials about the violation occurring near Samkehar village in Jawali.
Environmentalists allege that political influence enables these offenders to continue cultivating sanctuary land with impunity. Milkhi Ram, an environmentalist known for his efforts to protect the Pong wetland since 2015, emphasised that the ongoing illegal farming in
the sanctuary area is a serious threat to local biodiversity. The Union Government designated Pong wetland as a wildlife sanctuary in 1999 under the Indian Wildlife Act of 1972, aiming to protect the habitat for over one lakh migratory birds that visit the area each winter. Any human activity, including land cultivation, is considered harmful to these migratory species.
Attempts to reach Hamirpur’s Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Reginald Royston for comments were unsuccessful. However, Kamal Kishor, Wildlife Range Officer at Nagrota Surian, affirmed that no land cultivation would be allowed in the sanctuary. He warned that any machinery used in illegal activities would be confiscated and strict legal action would be taken against violators.
Environmental activists continue to advocate for stronger enforcement to end illegal cultivation in the Pong Wetland sanctuary and protect the delicate ecosystem from further harm.
