Srinagar, Mar 1: While Asia’s largest freshwater lake, Wullar, in north Kashmir continues to be marred by extensive pollution and encroachments, the inordinate delay in constitution of a separate authority and restoration measures is pushing the lake towards extinction.
As the Government today underscored the importance of preservation of Wullar in the Upper House and maintained that Rs 120 crore have been sanctioned by the Central Government for the endeavor, the constitution of the Wullar Development Authority (WDA) to streamline the lake’s restoration measures, is yet to receive nod from the Cabinet, drawing flak from the environmentalists.
Till a few decades ago, Wullar acted as a huge absorption basin for the annual floodwaters, maintaining a balance in the hydrographic system of the Valley. The lake with its associated wetlands was an important habitat for migratory water birds within Central Asian Flyway and supported rich biodiversity.
Due to massive encroachments and siltation, Wullar has been reduced from 273 sq kms to less than 70 sq kms. Official figures state that nearly 70,000 kanals of converted land of Wullar have been occupied illegally, including by various government departments, including Social Forestry. The problem is compounded by continuous influx of silt from nearby catchments which has turned a large chunk of the water body into a land mass.
After years of dilly-dallying, the Government in January last year decided to constitute the WDA for effective restoration of the lake. The WDA was kept under the direct control of Forest Department. The Government had also prepared a detailed protect report for Rs 386 cr for conservation of the lake.
The plan envisaged the lake’s water and land resources management, bio-diversity conservation, livelihood improvement and institutional development. The plan also emphasized on eco-tourism as a potential tool to conserve the lake and its rich bio-diversity while providing economic incentives to the local community.
However, due to inordinate delay in constitution of WDA, the conservation of Wullar has been halted.
Incidentally, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who had been nominated as chairman of the WDA, last year had minced no words in acknowledging the mistakes and non-seriousness of the concerned officials in implementing the Wullar conservation.
“We should not have any hesitation in acknowledging the fact that least attention was given towards such places of importance in past. While executing Rs 386 crore Wullar Conservation Plan all concerned authorities and agencies should keep in mind the mistakes committed in past with regard to maintenance and preservation of such water bodies and be more vigilant henceforth accordingly. Wullar is not only a historic lake, its eco-friendly importance for the entire Kashmir Valley is of significant importance. Therefore expert groups should be involved in its restoration process,” Omar had stated while chairing a review meeting of Wullar conservation last year.
Environmentalists are up in arms against the delay in execution of Wullar Conservation Plan. “Wullar has lost the capacity to regulate water flows due to siltation, encroachments, pollution and extensive plantations. The inordinate delay in restoration of Wullar is bound to raise its levels of ecological deterioration and cost escalation of conservation plan. It is ironical that the despite passing of a year, the development authority for restoration of the lake is yet to become functional. This shows non seriousness of the Government is salvaging the lake of immense ecological importance,” Aijaz Rasool a noted hydraulic engineer told Greater Kashmir.
Ajaz who is also a member of the Committee of Experts on Wullar, Tso-Morari and Mansar-Surinsar lakes under the Prime Minister’s reconstruction plan of Jammu and Kashmir, recommended the Government to adopt the Critical Path Method to salvage the lake.
“With each passing moment, we are gradually losing the Wullar. Authorities should on priority remove the willow plantations in the lake as they have firmed up silt deposits hampering the water circulation and navigation. The deforestation of the Wullar catchments in early ’90s led to heavy influx of silt into the water body. This led to drastic reduction of the lake’s bed and severely affected its flora and fauna,” he said.
He said winter is the best time for undertaking dredging due to lean water discharge and maintained that simultaneous conservation activities like soil erosion control, integrate grassland management, prioritization of critical micro water sheds can also prove beneficial.
“There is need for improving the lake’s hydrological connectivity with existing marshes. It will help in water absorption capacity of the wetland system to control flooding and increase retention capacity of Wullar. The critical path method is appropriate to atleast save the lake from further deterioration. Under this, the works have to be identified, set deadlines for their competition and execute them strictly,” he said.
The Wetlands International-South Asia, a global organization for conservation of wetlands, has also formulated water management part of the Comprehensive Management Action Plan (CMAP) for restoration of Wullar lake, which has been approved by Central Government for implementation.
The Minister for Forests, Mian Altaf, said the Government had last year decided to constitute the WDA. “However, the Cabinet is yet to accord sanction to it. We will soon place the matter before the Cabinet. Chief Minister will be the chairman of the WDA,” Altaf told Greater Kashmir.
While replying to a question by MLC MY Taing, Altaf today informed the House that Rs. 120 crore has been sanctioned by Central Government under 13th Finance Commission for the conservation of Wullar Lake and reiterated that the WDA will be constituted for taking comprehensive measures for its preservation.
He said the decision regarding eviction, re-orientation and re-settlement of lake dwellers will be taken after constitution of the WDA. “While as sewerage treatment plants are proposed to be established in the peripheral towns of the lake and also sanitation units are proposed to be given to the population living in the vicinity of the lake,” he said.