Wullar cries for attention, protection: GCC

Srinagar, July 23: A four-member Group of Concerned Citizens (GCC) delegation visited Wullar Lake in north Kashmir to assess its condition on Tuesday.

A statement of GCC issued here said that on the occasion, the delegation had meetings with officials of Wullar Conservation Management Authority at Wullar View Point Sadarkoot Payeen.

The delegation was told that Wullar has a recorded area of 130 sq km of which 30 sq km are heavily silted.

GCC was also told that 27 sq km have been desilted and clear water surface obtained.

GCC delegation comprising Khurshid Ahmed Ganai, Kifayat Hussain Rizvi, Muhammed Ashraf Fazili, and Dr Farooq Ahmed Kaloo was then shown the lake portions under the Watlab hill where clear water surface of about 5 sq km can be seen.

In their interaction with DC Bandipore, the GCC delegation impressed upon the DC to take up the matter of Wullar Lake with the J&K government and Chief Secretary so that a revised restoration and conservation plan is prepared.

“The GCC suggested that in view of the size of the problem it may be useful to seek international collaboration and the latest technology for the purpose. The GCC informed the DC that more equipment and the latest machinery are required for desilting and removal of weeds, plantations etc from the lake to augment the water-carrying capacity of the lake which is presently nowhere near its rated capacity of 340 million cusecs,” Khurshid Ahmed Ganai said.

He said that the GCC requested the DC to impress on the J&K government to give high priority to the restoration and conservation project and augment funding which is presently not commensurate with the size of the work to be done.

“The GCC suggested to the DC to request LG and Chief Secretary to review the project with WCMA and experts from outside Kashmir and those from Kashmir who have worked on the lake previously. The GCC also impressed upon linking the livelihood of the population living on the lake with the project activities,” the statement said.

“It was the largest freshwater lake in Asia at one time but now its effective area has reduced considerably due to silting, plantations on the lake surface and encroachments. We hope that authorities will take measures to restore its pristine glory,” Ganai said.