Dying Khushalsar Lake calls for lease of life

Known for crystal clear water, Khushalsar Lake in Srinagar has been reduced to a cesspool due to constant flow of drains from human habitations.

Khushalsar forms one of the outflow channels of Dal Lake via the Nallah Amir Khan canal and Gilsar lake. Till a few decades ago, the lake was a favourite haunt of tourists. The lake hosted many species of fish and migratory birds. It was also famous for the Lotus stem popularly known as Nadru, which is one of major sources of livelihoods for local farmers.

Gradually, due to unabated encroachments, growth of obnoxious vegetation propelled by sewage of the catchments, waters of Khushalsar become stagnant and stinking. Last remnants of the lake are being extensively encroached upon, mainly on its side facing Ali Jan Road. The lake has been facing an onslaught of encroachments as no department has officially owned it so far. With departments passing the buck, the land mafia has received free hand to gradually bury the lake and undertake constructions. More than a lake now, it has been turned into a concrete jungle and cesspool. Interiors of the lake are also being encroached upon by extension of agricultural land mainly by filling. The lake is vanishing with each passing second.

Conservation of the lake has never been taken seriously by successive regimes. In the mid sixties, the Housing and Urban Department started a peripheral sewerage scheme with Sewage Treatment Plant to arrest the sewage ingress in Khushalsar and scientifically treat it. Ironically, the project was left partially executed.

Government had formulated a comprehensive plan of Rs.61 crores for preservation of Khushalsar in 2002. The plan, approved by the Central Government, envisaged to protect and develop the lake by removal of encroachments by way of earth filling, illegal plantations and constructions. The project also aimed to demarcate and fence the lake and deploy Forest Protection Force personnel to keep strict vigil in Khushalsar to stop further encroachment. But the plan too was buried.

Scientific studies have shown that chemical parameters of Khushalsar have worsened alarmingly beyond permissible levels. The lake has become dumping site of allochanthus materials which have resulted in hampering water flow.

A local environmental group Nigeen Lake Conservation Organisation (NLCO) has been voluntarily making efforts for the last three years to clean the water body along with Gilsar lake. The initiative has helped to at least remove tons of decades-old accumulated garbage from the water body.

However, restoring the glory of Khushalsar needs the Government's active intervention and concerned environmental groups like NLCO can lend a helping hand. Despite having limited resources and machinery, NLCO has been doing its bit as part of the society for conservation of Nigeen, Khushalsar and Gilsar lakes. Under its Mission Ehsaas, NLCO removed 4000 truck-loads of waste from Gilsar Khushalsar twin lakes in the last three years.

As funding has been the main roadblock for successive regimes in conservation of water bodies, it is unfortunate that there is no culture of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Kashmir. There is hardly any government, semi-government or private organisation which has been proactively working for the cause of the environment on the ground in the valley.

Many lakes outside J&K like Punjab, Bengaluru and Chennai were restored by corporates under CSR. On the verge of extinction, Hebbagodi Lake, spread over 35 acres, in southeast Bengaluru was restored by a company under CSR and dedicated it to people after improving its water quality and return of flora and fauna.

A cold drink company successfully rejuvenated two lakes in Amavasya Kere and ThubinKere in Karnataka. These thriving water bodies, supporting local agriculture and sustaining a diverse ecosystem, were marred by rapid industrial and agricultural development, After scientific interventions, these water bodies were conserved under the CSR.

Similarly, a company under its CSR restored a mid-sized water body, the Annaikeni Pond at Sholinganallur in Chennai. The pond, a drinking water source for over 10,000 people, was turned into a garbage dump. The company cleaned it by cleaning four tons of water hyacinth and weeds.

Back home, like Khushalsar, we have many water bodies and wetlands which need conservation measures. Most of our water bodies are confronted with the same challenges like pollution, siltation and encroachments and need the same solution for conservation. If there is will, we can have the way too.

More than Corporate Social Responsibility, we need Common Man’s Responsibility towards protecting our nature. We have to understand that conservation of Khushalsar is detrimental for the health of Dal lake and maintaining its hydrology and overall eco-system of Kashmir.

We have to understand that we can build houses, roads, bridges and flyovers, but not lakes. We have to treat water bodies as sacred and nature’s property. We have to act as caretakers of natural assets rather than destroyers!

The author is Executive Editor, Greater Kashmir