Asia’s largest freshwater lake is in danger of extinction. Now Wullar Lake calls for our immediate attention by Iftikar Rashid Wani.
Perhaps reams of papers have been inked to highlight the dwindling status of Dal. Dal is dying, Dal is shrinking, and Dal has turned dull is the fashion headline of almost every newspaper of the valley. It is appreciable that local media have left no stone unturned to present the depleting and deteriorating conditions of the water bodies of Kashmir valley, but in this war we have almost forgotten once Asia’s largest and sweat water body of Kashmir known as Wular Lake.
Gone are the days when people were charmed by melodious songs of bulbul, cuckoo and similar other birds around the Wular Lake now on entering the Lake one can come across the hundreds of animal carcasses and Skeletons, heaps of plastic bottles and polyethylene bags, which is causing bio-chemical process and disturbs the natural hydro ecosystem. In the Wular Lake the polluted atmosphere together with the foul smell of Wular and its surroundings stirs once consciousness with a hope that the time for its restoration should not be too far away. And sooner or later people will become sensitive and will feel about its survival. But are we ready for that.
Wular is the largest fresh water lake of Asia and plays a prominent role in hydrographic system of Kashmir valley by acting as a huge absorption basin for flood water. On one side it faces the natural wrath by draining into it the waters of Arin, Mudhumati and other Nallas and on the other side the local population is playing havoc with the waters of Wular, and their disastrous actions are now bearing the fruits; the Wular has now shrinked down from 20,000 hectares to 2400 hectares only. An area of 11,853 kanal and 14 malras of land has been illegally encroached from Bandipora side alone. Around 92 illegal constructions have been raised over the encroached land. Out of 11,853 kanal and 14 malras of Wular land in Bandipora district, 4,121 kanal and 12 malras are under the illegal occupation of government departments. Illegal and indiscrete encroachment like agriculture activities, land reclamation, massive construction in and around Wular by the people are the small causative factors. It is surprising to know that even Forest Department and Sheri Kashmir Agricultural University (K) has indulged in land encroachment of Wular.
The callous approach of forest department can be imagined by the fact that they have converted a large portion of the Wular lake into social forests by raising the plantation of Salix alba (Buta veer) and Salix fragilis (Kreal veer). And it is ironical that one of the officers of this department has accepted this cruel reality in a live show on DD Kashir Channel by giving unconvincing reasons which can not be accepted by any sane person. The rest of the encroached area— 7,732 kanal and 2 malras is captured by 540 occupants of 15 villages residing in proximity of the Wular Lake. .According to the renowned environmentalists, Wular has one of the most disturbed eco-system of India which needs a special attention not only from the experts and government but from the local population also. Instead of this commitment there is grave destruction from all quarters, be it government officials or local populace.
The supplement of the nutrients from river Jehlum, Arin Nallah ,Madhumati and other indigenous streams besides silt deposition have worsened the water quality of Wullar
Enough is enough, the lake calls for our immediate attention .Though in the recent past the government has woken up for the impending danger to the very existence of the Wular Lake. The present circumstances has forced the State government to take corrective measures for its restoration .The state government has created Wular and Mansbal Development Authority with a job to overview the affairs of Wular and Mansbal Lake and try to rejuvenate the natural beauty and grandeur of these lakes. The government plans are welcome but the ground situation is different. This massive project worth millions of rupees has proved a money minting machine for the local politicians. Otherwise the beautification of Bus stand and Nishat Park located in town Bandipora in the name of Wular development has involved lakhs of rupees with no justification. What can we expect from local administration which is least bothered about the degeneration of the Wular lake.
Recently district administration spent lakhs of rupees on anticorruption or drug de addiction drive but there was not a single second available to the concerned officials to ponder over the importance of Water day, Biodiversity day or even World Environmental day normally held on the 5th June of every year.However Government efforts alone would not yield the desired results. Nobody can stop predicament of Wular and its death unless a unified determination on part of every one to reclaim the lake and to create a massive awareness program among the local inhabitants. Save Wular hoardings and a few posters will not take us anywhere but to the destruction of our own water body. Lets us take the current situation of Wular as a challenge and a pledge that everybody should act as its Messiah. Lets us help to prove the famous Kashmiri poet true when he says:
“Tragbal ki rifatu say daikheye Wular ki Jeeel
Bandipora yun khada haay jaisay daryaye aabi Neel”
(posted for awareness)
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