Wular calling!
Drying of Asia’s one of the largest freshwater lakes, Wular, in north Kashmir, must set alarm bells ringing! This is a serious indicator of climate change, a desert like situation in one of the major water bodies of Kashmir.
The prolonged dry spell coupled with extensive siltation, pollution and choking of springs has severely affected Wular’s hydrology, flora and fauna. With the lowest water level, fish stocks and water chestnut seeds have vanished. Amid prolonged dry spell and considerably less snowfall in higher reaches, Wular is devoid of fresh lease of waters.
Besides affecting the lake’s ecosystem, the drying up of the lake during peak winter season has hit the livelihood of nearly 30,000 families living around the water body. Wular is an important part of Kashmir’s hydrological system. The lake acts as an absorption basin for annual floodwaters– maintaining a balance in the Valley’s hydrographic system. Wular forms habitat for the migratory water birds within the Central Asian Flyway. In recognition of its immense ecological and socio-economic importance, Wular was designated as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention in 1990. The low water level in the lake has severely affected migratory birds taking refuge in its swatches during night.
Wular maintains the water budget of Kashmir and acts as a huge absorption basin for flood waters. Jhelum river spanning 175 sq kms from south to north Kashmir settles in Wular before flowing into Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) through Baramulla district. Silt accumulation in Wular causes backflow effect to Jhelum increasing risk of floods in Srinagar city.
Despite its immense ecological importance, official apathy and public greed have caused extensive damage to Wular. The lake has been facing threats from pollution, siltation and encroachments for the last over three decades. Wular has extensively lost water-holding capacity mainly due to siltation from degraded catchments and wetland conversions for agriculture and willow pastures.
Sustained scientific conservation measures are missing to improve hydrology of the lake. Major drains of Baramulla and Bandipora districts flow into the lake in absence of Sewage Treatment Plants.
A survey conducted by the ‘Wetland International-South Asia’ has pointed how direct discharge of solid and liquid wastes from the settlements all along river Jhelum have led to degradation of water quality and health hazards to the communities living around the Wular lake. As per the study, the area of the lake in 1911 was 217 sq.km, which includes 58 Sq.km of associated marshes. The lake has been reduced from 157.74 sq.km to less than 86 sq.km. It notes that overall there has been a reduction in the lake area by 45 percent, mainly due to conversion of agriculture (28 percent) and plantation (17 percent). Further associated marshes were reduced by 70 percent again due to conversions for agriculture and settlements.
Wular has lost the carrying capacity to regulate water flows due to reclamation, siltation and lack of interventions to enhance drainability of water for upstream mitigation.
The catchments are causing extensive soil erosion and its deposition in the lake further decreasing water absorption capacity of the lake ecosystem.
The 300.26 crore Comprehensive Management Action Plan (CMAP) devised by the Wetland International-South Asia envisaged Wular’s land and water resources management, biodiversity conservation, eco-tourism development, livelihood improvement and institutional development. However, authorities have been focusing on beautification works that improve water quality. Extensive siltation due to flow of sediments from Madhumadti and Erin streams is slowly killing Wular.
Unscientific dumping of garbage around the Wular choked the river with non-biodegradable items over the decades. A noted environmental activist Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat had to approach National Green Tribunal in 2019 for directions to stop unscientific dumping of municipal solid waste at Zalwan area near Wular banks.. After years of inordinate delay, authorities are yet to close the garbage dump and have only identified a new location. The garbage dump has been operational since 1960. Imagine the irreparable damage caused by flow of leachate, which is a toxic, contaminated liquid formed when water filters through waste in landfills into the lake.
Taking note of deteriorating condition of Wular lake, the Minister for Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology & Environment and Tribal Affairs, Javed Ahmed Rana, recently chaired a meeting reaffirming that preservation and conservation of the water body remains a top priority of the Government.
Most of the associated wetlands of Wular too have lost their carrying capacity mainly due to conversion into agriculture land or concrete landscape in the last over five decades. Besides Wular, the Government must ensure conservation of all water bodies across J&K. There is an interconnected network of water bodies and wetlands in Kashmir that play a vital role to maintain ecological balance and must be preserved. Efforts must be made to enhance water retention capacity of Wular and other water bodies for long term water conservation.
Amid prolonged dry spells, conservation of water resources must be given priority. There is a need for a political will to ensure protection of our natural resources. We need to understand that damage done to the environment is irreparable. Think what we can pass on to our future generations!
Author is Executive Editor,
Greater Kashmir
