E-Paper
315 lakes vanished, 203 shrunk in 6 decades: CAG
The CAG attributed the disappearance and degradation of lakes primarily to changes in land use within lake bodies and their catchment areas, along with deforestation, climate change and unregulated human activities
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has flagged alarming degradation of lakes in Jammu and Kashmir, revealing that 518 out of 697 natural lakes (over 74%) in the Union Territory have either disappeared or decreased in size since 1967, leading to significant ecological imbalance and loss of biodiversity.
As per the CAG report on the conservation of lakes in UT for the year ended March 31, 2024, out of the total 697 lakes with a total area of 28,990 hectares, as many as 315 lakes covering 1,537.07 hectares have disappeared, while the area of 203 lakes shrank by 1,314.19 hectares. “There was total decrease and disappearance of area of 2,851.26 hectares in 518 lakes,” the report stated.
The CAG strongly recommended a series of measures for effective conservation and management of lakes in J&K, stressing the need for a structured and time-bound approach.
It said this large-scale shrinkage has resulted in loss of flora and fauna, disruption of ecological services, and adverse impacts on water, food and biodiversity.
It also said the reduction in lake area has contributed to climate insecurity and was one of the factors behind the devastating J&K floods in September 2014, highlighting that lakes act as natural flood buffers.
Jammu and Kashmir, endowed with 697 natural lakes spread across 20 districts in two divisions, holds immense ecological and socio-economic significance, it said. These include 185 major lakes larger than five hectares, such as the Wular Lake, the largest freshwater lake in India, along with several other prominent water bodies.
The audit report revealed that 150 lakes recorded an increase in area by 538.22 hectares, while 29 lakes remained unchanged. However, it pointed out that the reasons behind the increase in lake areas were neither analysed nor monitored by the departments concerned.
Of the disappeared lakes, 80 fell under the jurisdiction of the forest department, while 235 were under the revenue and agriculture departments. Among the 203 lakes that recorded shrinkage, 63 have lost more than 50% of their area, putting them at high risk of extinction, it added.
The CAG attributed the disappearance and degradation of lakes primarily to changes in land use within lake bodies and their catchment areas, along with deforestation, climate change and unregulated human activities.
Recommending urgent action, the CAG called for enactment of a comprehensive law for conservation and management of lakes and the establishment of a centralised, specialised authority to ensure coordinated efforts. It also stressed the need for enhanced funding, scientific planning, and deployment of experts including hydrologists, ecologists and GIS specialists.
Omar blames climate change
J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah said urbanisation, pressures on land and climate change were behind the disappearance of 315 water bodies and lakes, and shrinking of 205 in the Union Territory.
“While some of these things are within our control, some are a fallout of a wider problem. But yes, I think we need to be more conscious of the damage that we are doing,” he said.
“Why don’t we use less plastic bags? I mean, is it going to take a government order banning the use of plastic bags completely for us to wake up to this problem? As a concerned citizen, what stops me from carrying a bag from home for shopping? Why do I have to take a plastic bag to the shops?” he added.
Earlier, Abdullah distributed 90 appointment letters under the provisions of the old SRO 43 – the Compassionate Appointment Scheme – and its replacement, the Rehabilitation Assistance Scheme (RAS).
Regarding the ceasefire in West Asia, Omar said the US should exert some control over Israel to ensure the success of the ceasefire with Iran. He also said that Pakistan, who facilitated peace talks between the warring nations, has done what others could not.
CM hails inquiry into Ganderbal encounter
The CM lauded lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha for promptly ordering an inquiry into allegations that the Ganderbal encounter was fake. “The good thing is that there was no attempt to hide anything,” he said.
The Army had claimed that a man it killed in an encounter in the Arhama forests on March 31 was a terrorist. However, the family of the man, identified as Ganderbal resident Rashid Ahmad Mughal, has refuted the official claim that he had terror links. They alleged that the encounter was fake and have demanded the return of his body for proper burial.
