J&K govt bends rules to drain half of Valley’s trout streams

J&K govt bends rules to drain half of Valley’s trout streams

Muzamil Jaleel

 

Endangering almost half of Kashmir’s famed trout habitat and in violation of the J&K Fisheries Act, the state government has issued tenders for the extraction of boulders and gravel from as many as 36 freshwater streams.

The tenders, issued on April 3 by the state’s Geology and Mining department, come after no-objection certificates (NOC) were issued to set up two large stone-crushers right on the banks of the most critical freshwater streams: in Lidder Valley in Pahalgam (South Kashmir) and Arin in Bandipore (North Kashmir).

Directly affected are the 10 biggest trout-populated freshwater streams, including the Brengi stream in Anantnag, the Lidder in Pahalgam, the Arin and Madhumati streams in Bandipore, and the Feroz Pora stream in the Gulmarg-Tangmarg valley. All for a “royalty” of Rs 3 crore.

These streams are home to a range of trout varieties, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout and several indigenous species, including the Snow Trout.

In a startling revelation, Bandipore district Fisheries Officer Mohammad Sidiq has admitted to The Indian Express that “there has been pressure from every quarter”.

Asked to elaborate, he claimed that the department’s Director, P Angchuk, “asked me to give the no objection certificate for the stone- crusher and I had no choice. I did, however, put many conditions to make it difficult to set up the crusher because once the stone-crusher comes up, there will be no trout left. In fact, this fresh water stream too will vanish”.

When contacted, Angchuk denied that the NOCs have been issued. But he, too, echoed his junior officer saying there was “a lot of political pressure” to issue the NOCs.

Contrary to Angchuk’s claim, The Indian Express has a copy of one of the NOCs which clearly specifies that it was issued under Angchuk’s “telephonic instructions”. The state pollution control board has cleared the NOCs, confirmed its chief Lal Chand.

One crusher NOC has gone to Fahmeeda Bano, wife of Bandipore businessman Naseer Ahmad Mir. The other has gone to one Mohammed Ramzan in Anantnag.

Mir is an associate of a local politician close to the Congress and Ramzan is a former aide of an influential politician from the National Conference. Despite repeated attempts, Mir and Ramzan were not available for comment.

Angchuk himself underlines that according to the J&K Fisheries Regulation Act (1960), nobody can set up a stone crusher on or near trout streams or extract boulders and gravel from them.

“That will permanently destroy the natural habitat of the trout and has serious environmental implications. But we have been helpless,” Angchuk said.

He claimed that the Fisheries department didn’t give a go-ahead to the Geology and Mining Department to invite tenders. But when contacted, the Director, Geology and Mining, Ishtiyaq Ashai, said that his department issued the tenders only after a “detailed consultation” with the Fisheries department.

 

Kashmir's Jewel, The Dal lake in Agony

Raw sewage, land encroachment and years of neglect have been threatening the survival of the Dal lake in Kashmir where the idyllic stillness of its waters and beautiful houseboats have been drawing for tourists for years.

However, with militant violence at its lowest ever level since the revolt started in 1989, authorities say they can finally focus on saving Dal Lake with a multi-million dollar cleanup that could see the mass removal of some 60,000 people living off its waters.

Environmental perils the lake faces: 

� Thousands of tones of sewage spew into the lake, resulting in excessively high levels of toxic metals and choking the lake and its aquatic life of oxygen. Tests of water samples showed arsenic levels were almost 1,000 times above permissible levels. People drink this very water and feed on fish from these waters.

� The lake’s size has been halved in a few decades, to some 13 square km (five square miles), due to farming land encroachment.

Who is to blame? 

A slack administration as well as families sustaining on the lake but not sustaining the lake. They are the one’s responsible for dumping rubbish, sewage and waste and creating landfills of mud and weed in the waters for farming land and floating gardens.

$80 million of federal funds are to be used to relocate 58 settlements around the lake to a 1,000 acre site a few miles inland. The first 300 families could be moved by the end of the year. However, many lake dwellers, some of whom have been there for decades, distrust the relocation proposal.

Source: Reuters

Saving the Lakes of Kashmir

Dying Dal & Nigeen Lakes in Kashmir are dying due to state apathy and greed of a few individuals. Very soon the lakes will be extinct and natures bounties will have fallen to human greed. Billions of rupees have been siphoned off by corrupt officials and bureaucrats in the name of saving the lakes efforts but fact remains that the lakes are running faster than before towards a human driven destruction. Will our posterity ever believe that such jewels of nature existed?

Are we not vandalizing nature for our own peril?

When will the state and the responsible ones wake up?

Lakes & Waterways Development Authority = Lakes & Waterways Destruction Authority

Once beautiful Dal lake crying for help

Non-seriousness of the Government to restore the glory of Dal and Nigeen lakes is clearly reflected by overwhelming growth of obnoxious weeds and Azolla, a deadly water fern which if left unattended has the potential to kill the water bodies.

The problem is compounded by massive encroachments in the lake’s catchments and even in its interiors— defeating the purpose of ‘conservation measures’ for which crores of rupees have been spent so far.

In absence of sustained conservation measures by the Lakes and Waterways Development Authority, the lakes have been pushed on the verge of extinction.

Ironically, the weeds have completely engulfed the front portion of the Dal overlooking. Despite having state-of-the-art machines and manpower, the LAWDA has miserably failed to salvage the dying water body.

Reports states that massive construction is taking place in the catchments and core area of Dal. In blatant violation of the High Court orders, the construction material is being openly ferried into the lake particularly during the night.

The infectious waters of Dal containing harmful Azolla, has drastically affected the lakes outflow channels also. Pertinently, Chuntkul and Pokhribal acts as a catalyst in maintaining the water budget of Dal’s ecosystem as its surplus waters flows through them into Jhelum and Khushalshar respectively.

The deterioration of the outflow channels started since June this year when thick mats of obnoxious water fern Azolla gradually poured into them from the Dal. This has not only affected the outflow of Dal waters but marred its aesthetic beauty.

Presently, the Chuntkul and Pokhribal are engulfed by thick mats of Azolla and weeds. The problem is compounded by heavy accumulation of garbage and plastic bottles which have been stagnated in the water fern. “Chuntkul has been turned into a cesspool. It has been completely neglected as if it is not a part of Dal. The water emanates a pungent smell causing inconvenience to the locals as well as tourists,” fumed Muhammad Ashraf, an inhabitant of a neighboring locality overlooking Chuntkul.

Recounting the Chuntkul’s grandeur, Ashraf said till a few decades ago it was a favorite haunt of foreign tourists. “They used to erect tents on the islands of Chuntkul and enjoy fishing in its gushing and importantly crystal clear waters. But due to indifferent attitude of the concerned authorities, Chuntkul is all set to become a history,” he said.

Similarly, Pokhirbal, a part of Nigeen lake has started to turn into a marshy land due to heavy influx of Azolla, and weeds.

Overwhelming growth of obnoxious weeds and Azolla, a deadly water fern which if left unattended has the potential to kill the water bodies

 (Credits Mir Jamsheed For All Voices)