Ensure sustained measures to restore Khushalar, Gilsar: NLCO

Srinagar, Oct 27: The Nigeen Lake Conservation Organisation (NLCO) has voiced concern over the slowing pace and sustainability of restoration work at Khushalsar and Gilsar—two vital water bodies that serve as ecological buffers in Srinagar’s interconnected lake system.

A statement issued by NLCO said that despite multiple rounds of restoration in collaboration with the Lakes Conservation and Management Authority (LCMA), NLCO said the current state of these lakes remains “deeply worrying.” The Sazgaripora stretch of Khushalsar, once revived under the Mission Ehsaas initiative and SEWA PARV Cleanliness Drive, is again choked with azolla, muck, and plastic waste.

To arrest further deterioration, NLCO has redeployed its cleaning machine from the main Khushalsar basin to Sazgaripora to support LCMA’s efforts. However, the organisation said that progress has been slow, with piles of hardened muck and fresh encroachments appearing near Gil Kadal. Reports of ongoing illegal constructions within the lake boundaries have also raised alarms.

NLCO Chairman Manzoor Wangnoo urged the administration to reinforce on-ground maintenance and enforcement. “The LG’s vision under Mission Ehsaas gave these lakes a new life. Sustaining that momentum requires scientific upkeep and consistent monitoring,” he said, expressing gratitude to the Srinagar Municipal Corporation and LCMA for their cooperation.

Wangnoo reminded that Khushalsar and Gilsar act as the kidneys connecting Dal, Nigeen, Anchar, and Wular lakes. He appealed for institutionalised muck disposal, strict action against encroachments, and early completion of the proposed Twin Tourist Villages project to ensure the ecological revival of Srinagar’s lake system.