By and by every lake of India is drying up. Dal Lake is no exception in this regard. Once it was main attraction of tourists and film makers. But now it is struggling for its existence. In spite of that politics is going on even on the matter of its conservation. Perhaps due to this, High Court has recently shown its anxiety over its conservation plans. Main concern of the High Court was regarding different specialist assessment, contradictory devise proposals and predominantly unproductive attempts at preservation, the never-ending back and forth over the treatment of disappearing Dal Lake. As the eleventh hour neared, debates cantered on whether worthwhile plans have been devised and implemented and whither the opportunity of intercontinental backing.
Even the Division Bench of the High Court condemned LAWDA efforts at preserving Dal Lake. Now, the Bench is also unhappy with delays in resettling lake residents.
For resettling the lake residents, state-sponsored resettlement and rehabilitation programme is going on in Dal Lake. Under this programme, concerned authorities moved 1221 families so far and planned to shift 5,000 families over the next four years. As per officials, the standard of living of the rehabilitated people has improved because the plots are larger. They have lots of space and other amenities. But this process of resettlement is slow. On account of this, Justices BA Khan and Bashir Ahmad Kirmani did not agree with the official claim. According to them, no clear cut stand was obtainable from any authority as to how, when, and within what timeframe this improvement would be undertaken and concluded to facilitate the shifting of the inhabitants of this land.
Even the Division Bench of the High Court condemned LAWDA efforts at preserving Dal Lake. Now, the Bench is also unhappy with delays in resettling lake residents.
For resettling the lake residents, state-sponsored resettlement and rehabilitation programme is going on in Dal Lake. Under this programme, concerned authorities moved 1221 families so far and planned to shift 5,000 families over the next four years. As per officials, the standard of living of the rehabilitated people has improved because the plots are larger. They have lots of space and other amenities. But this process of resettlement is slow. On account of this, Justices BA Khan and Bashir Ahmad Kirmani did not agree with the official claim. According to them, no clear cut stand was obtainable from any authority as to how, when, and within what timeframe this improvement would be undertaken and concluded to facilitate the shifting of the inhabitants of this land.
On the condemnation of High Court, state officials say they are continuously in touch with the Delhi and the state government. Some time they are helpless, because they depend upon the Central government for assistance and guidance on crucial matters.
At this moment, there is a question, whether these plans would be executed and would these effectively augment the future of Dal. Green Kashmir has been helping with the Dal Lake clean-up for several years.
Opposed to these efforts, some experts are not happy with LAWDA’s work, because it’s basic assumptions are erroneous, citing their focus on engineering solutions as opposed to ecological concerns. If at all environmentalism is measured it is looked at apart from human natural balance and survival; humans are seen as superfluous and as the problem to the ecology, whereas in authenticity we are part of the natural balance. The problems of the lake cannot be resolved by removing the people but, in fact, by nurturing hale and hearty human-environment association.
This is not only about the people who survive within the lake but also those who exist around the lake, particularly the catchments areas. In fact, what kind of lifestyle and agriculture is being promoted around the lake is a matter of assessment. As per my opinion, a truly scientific and healthy development program should keep sustainability in mind. According to experts, the extension of the city around the lake, additional construction with its walls and pavements and drainage concern as problematical.
According to LAWDA, 65,000 people live in some 58 hamlets, houseboats, and other catchments and developmental areas within and surrounding Dal, all of which, in addition to the busy areas of the Bund, the Boulevard, and downtown, are without sewage systems.
In an effort to limit the impact of that circle, LAWDA has initiated several projects. Almost 400,000 trees have been felled in the last few years because environmentalists believed they were constricting Dal waters. Additionally, six sewage treatment plants that would reduce the nutrients in the local effluent, and thus decrease flora growth, have been approved.
The city’s raw sewage must not end up in the lake unprocessed. The network of Dal, Anchar, Wular, Manasbal and the Jhelum River are interrelated and thus all are in danger. We need to look at lakes and the rivers in the valley as an incessant system and not as disconnect bodies; if there has to be a plan, it has to cover all these bodies at the same time.
However, circumstances are so precarious. All rivers, ponds and lakes are drying up day by day. Even the Ganga is vanishing. If we don’t change our life style, within no time, we too will also disappear. Mother Nature has also a definite system and procedure. We are not following that system and procedure. Ecological balance is very sensitive issue. If we disturb this balance in anyway, everything will be destroyed.
(Courtesy www.merinews.com)
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