Shrinkage, Sewage, Lapses: CAG Flags Dal Lake Crisis

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer)

• Water Spread Down Over 10% Since 2007

• Audit Flags Encroachment, Faulty STPs And Weak Monitoring

Srinagar- The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has flagged significant spatio-temporal changes in land use and water cover of Dal Lake, reporting a steady shrinkage of its water body and pointing to serious lapses in conservation, sewage management and monitoring.

In its latest audit on conservation and management of lakes in Jammu and Kashmir for the year ended March 31, 2024, the CAG noted that the lake's water spread declined from 15.40 square kilometres in 2007 to 12.91 square kilometres in 2020, a drop of over 10 per cent in just 13 years.

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The report attributed the loss of open water primarily to increasing human-induced pressures and changing land use patterns. While the water body shrank, there was a marked rise in floating vegetation, cropland and built-up areas within the lake.

“During 2007–2020, there was a decrease in submerged vegetation and open water, while floating vegetation, plantations and built-up areas recorded an increase,” the report said, underlining a shift that has altered the lake's ecological balance.

The CAG observed that no concrete measures were taken by the Lakes Conservation and Management Authority(LCMA) to regulate land use changes, nor were the reasons for such transformations adequately studied.

A combination of administrative and infrastructural failures was cited for the lake's deterioration. These included non-acquisition of land from lake dwellers, malfunctioning sewage treatment plants (STPs), failure to check pollution inflows, improper de-weeding and weak monitoring mechanisms.

The audit pointed out that untreated waste from households, houseboats and hotels continued to flow into the lake due to incomplete sewer networks and delays in connecting them to STPs. Despite spending over Rs 45 crore on treatment infrastructure, sewage was not processed as per prescribed standards, leading to further degradation of water quality.

Encroachments in areas such as Mir Behri, Lati Mohalla and Nandapora were also flagged, with expansion of floating gardens and habitation contributing to the shrinking of open water.

The report further highlighted gaps in the implementation of key conservation programmes under the National Lake Conservation Programme (NLCP) and the Prime Minister's Reconstruction Programme(PMRP). Critical components like upgradation of STPs, solid waste management, sewer networking, relocation of houseboats and hotels, and rehabilitation of lake dwellers were either delayed or inadequately executed.

Financial management also came under scrutiny, with the audit noting underutilisation of funds ranging from Rs 48.63 crore to Rs 280.68 crore between 2017 and 2022. Delays in board meetings, absence of project management consultants and failure to prepare detailed project reports further slowed down conservation efforts.

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Efforts to relocate Dal dwellers and houseboats fell short of targets, with only a fraction of land and structures acquired. Similarly, dredging of acquired land and shifting of hotels remained incomplete, while surveillance mechanisms to check violations were not fully established.

The CAG also flagged inadequate catchment management, noting that only four out of 15 identified micro-watersheds were taken up. Shortcomings were observed in structural and vegetative measures, training programmes and monitoring systems.

Describing Dal Lake as the“liquid heart” of Srinagar, situated at an altitude of 1,583 metres, the audit warned that continued delays and systemic gaps in planning, execution and oversight have hindered restoration of its ecological health.

The CAG has recommended periodic monitoring of water spread, formulation of a robust lake management policy, effective functioning of STPs, and improved treatment of sewage and solid waste entering the lake. It also called for stronger regulation of land use, enhanced public awareness to curb unauthorised construction and better tracking of nutrient inflows.

The report cautioned that unless these structural deficiencies are urgently addressed, efforts to restore the shrinking water body of Dal Lake will remain a challenge.

'Encroachment, Siltation Threaten Wular Lake'

CAG of India has also flagged serious ecological concerns over Wular Lake in Kashmir, warning that the wetland is under severe stress due to encroachment and siltation.

In the audit report examining changes in water bodies between 1967 and 2020, the CAG said 315 lakes in the Union Territory have disappeared, while several others have deteriorated significantly.

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The report noted that Wular Lake in Bandipora district has witnessed a reduction in its water spread due to large-scale encroachments along its periphery and continuous silt accumulation, affecting its role as a natural flood buffer for the Kashmir Valley.

Officials said out of 697 water bodies studied, only a handful - including Wular, Dal, Hokersar, Manasbal, Surinsar and Mansar - have received any focused conservation efforts, while the majority remain without restoration plans.

The audit also highlighted that many water bodies have been lost to urban expansion, agricultural conversion and unregulated development.

It further pointed out that several lakes, including Rakh-e-Arth, Marhama and Galwal Talao, have dried up completely over the years.

The report recommended the creation of a unified institutional mechanism to prevent further degradation and called for immediate intervention to protect critical wetlands.

Meanwhile, officials said a bathymetric and hydrodynamic study of Wular Lake is currently being carried out by the National Institute of Hydrology to assess its capacity and siltation levels.

Experts have warned that without urgent conservation measures, the lake could face further ecological decline, impacting flood management and water security in the region.

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