Govt steps up conservation efforts for water bodies in Kashmir valley
In an effort to rejuvenate some of the renowned water bodies in the Kashmir Valley, the government has accelerated work on projects aimed at preventing their further deterioration.
Various departments, including Irrigation and Flood Control, Housing and Urban Development, Forest and Ecology, and Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, are taking steps to restore these water bodies—primarily lakes that attract both domestic and international tourists.
In response to a question raised in the Assembly on Tuesday regarding the restoration of Wular Lake, Dal Lake, the Jhelum River, and others, the government stated that efforts to restore water bodies and prevent erosion are being carried out through coordinated initiatives by multiple departments.
Regarding the Jhelum river, the Flood Management Programme (FMP) Phase-II is currently being implemented along the river and its tributaries. Under this programme, 30 anti-erosion projects have been undertaken at a DPR cost of Rs 274 crore, out of which 16 projects have been completed. The overall progress of anti-erosion work stands at 80%.
The J&K Lake Conservation and Management Authority (LCMA) is responsible for the conservation and management of natural wetlands, including Dal-Nigeen Lake and Brari Nambal, although these are not designated as Ramsar Sites. Over the years, various measures and programmes have been undertaken to curb encroachment and pollution in these natural wetlands.
The LCMA has constructed five Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) with a total capacity of 36.73 MLD to treat domestic sewage generated from households and business establishments located in the periphery and adjoining areas of Dal-Nigeen Lake.
One of the major sources of pollution in Dal Lake is houseboats, as their toilet waste is directly discharged into the lake. To address this, the LCMA has recently connected houseboats in Dal-Nigeen Lake to existing STPs. In Nigeen Lake, the sewerage network for 148 houseboats on both the western and eastern fringes has been linked to the STPs at Hazratbal and Nallah Amir Khan, respectively. In Dal Lake, the sewerage network of 570 houseboats has been connected to the 16.1 MLD STP at Brarinumbal.
Additionally, a project in collaboration with the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) has been undertaken for the scientific disposal of solid waste by converting wet waste into compost.
De-weeding is a major challenge in Dal-Nigeen Lake, and cleaning efforts continue throughout the year. To improve efficiency, the LCMA has recently procured advanced machinery and equipment, including self-propelled barges, an aquatic floating grab dredger, and tug boats for cleaning operations.
In response to another query regarding water bodies, the government stated that it has relocated and rehabilitated residents from Dal-Nigeen Lake to areas outside the water bodies.
Year wise budget under Capex for Dal-Nigeen lake includes Rs 149.63 crore for year 2021-22, Rs 82.72 crore for year 2022-23 and Rs 39.21 crore for 2023-24. For Wular lake, Rs 54.02 crore were sanctioned in 2021-22, Rs 31.12 crore for 2022-23 and Rs 19.14 crore for 2023-24.
Meanwhile, authorities have imposed restrictions on the number of tourists visiting the alpine lakes of Tarsar and Marsar. Additionally, a complete ban has been placed on carrying plastic bags and polythene, as well as burning trash near these lakes, which are popular among both domestic and international tourists for trekking and adventure sports.
