Kashmir is fast losing its water bodies especially lakes and wetlands not only to the growing pollution but also to encroachment and siltation. If the steps are not taken, it is not too far to lose our water bodies, one after another and our future generations will crave for the magnificent lakes and water bodies which are adding to the beauty of Kashmir for centuries.
Water bodies and lakes are the lungs of our ecosystem and any damage to lungs will destroy our ecosystem and natural resources.
Dal, Nageen and Wullar lakes and a number of wetlands have been squeezed due to human and natural interference, though the government has taken many measures to stop the encroachments around the water bodies but steps always proved insufficient. Dal Lake which is the pride of Kashmir even after spending hundreds of crores is fast turning into a polluted lake.
Recently, JK high court disbanded all the committees set up for conservation of Dal Lake, the Court has directed Vice-Chairman Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA) to chalk out a program for the management and development of Dal.
The order was passed in response to PIL submitted in the court in which a division bench of Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice Vinod Chatterji Koul said that all committees should be disbanded and the LAWDA should take full responsibility in this regard and directed the LAWDA to take the steps for safeguarding the lake which is in the heart of city.
The Court also directed the Vice Chairman to survey and prepare a list of all the drains flowing into Dal and take immediate steps to prevent discharge of drain water into the Dal and directed for setting up of more sewerage plants. So far many steps have been taken up about conservation of Dal Lake and also a good amount of the money was already spent on its conservation, however there are still many shortcomings and authorities have failed to stop the encroachment.
Even thousands of people who live inside the Dal haven’t been rehabilitated, likewise a new policy was framed for Houseboats, and however, the contours of the policy are not known to the stakeholders. We have already lost many years to save the Dal lake hope the new measures will prove good for the water body which is a major tourist attraction of J&K. Same is the fate of other beautiful lakes like Nageen and Anchar – the pollution has damaged the ecosystem of both the lakes as major drains are flowing into these beautiful water bodies and polluting its waters.
A big conservation project is also underway in Wullar lake that had lost 100 square kilometers over the years and the water body which used to save the entire Kashmir from floods had lost its carrying capacity, however, the efforts to retrieve the lake land and desilitation process is showing good results as it is slowly going back to its original position what it used to be decades ago. We can’t leave everything to the government, these water bodies are part of our culture and people have a major role to play in conserving them for our future generations.
