Signifying concern over shrinking size, J&K govt sets up panel to declare Dal Lake as eco-sensitive zone

Srinagar, November 11: As the newly formed Union Territory Jammu and Kashmir sets to run under the purview of the Central government, it slates new avenues of development and prosperity thereafter. Taking concern over its shrinking size, the Jammu and Kashmir government has set up a ten-member committee to declare Srinagar's famous Dal Lake and its surrounding areas as an eco-sensitive zone (ESZ).

 

The pollution and encroachments have resulted in the Dal Lake shrinking from its original area of 22 square kilometers to about 10 square kilometers, according to an assessment by the Dredging Corporation of India (DCI) in 2017. The DCI also found that the world-famous lake's capacity has shrunk to about 40 per cent and that its water quality has deteriorated.

The Additional Secretary of General Administrative Department (GAD) Subash Chibber said, “Sanction is hereby accorded to the constitution of a 10-member committee to finalise the draft of the notification for declaring Dal Lake and its surrounding areas as eco-sensitive zone.”

The committee shall finalize the draft notification within a period of one month, he said, adding that all facilities and infrastructure to the committee shall be provided by the Housing and Urban Development Department. The DCI assessment also found that intense pollution by untreated sewage and solid wastes that flow into the lake, encroachments of water channels and clogging has diminished the circulation and inflows into the lake, leading to extensive growth of the weed water hyacinth which has emerged as a health hazard.

Further, it established that the depth of the lake has reduced at many places due to siltation and encroachment, and that continuing night soil discharge from the 800 to 900 houseboats causes extreme pollution in the water body.