Jammu, Mar 30: The Jammu and Kashmir Forest Ecology and Environment Department on Monday informed the Legislative Assembly that the Union Territory has 1,810 identified existing water bodies, including the iconic Dal Lake, Wular Lake, and Anchar Lake, while outlining a series of measures being undertaken to protect them from pollution and environmental degradation.
Responding to a written query by National Conference MLA from Khanyar, Ali Mohammad Sagar, the department as per Kashmir Convener stated that out of the total water bodies, 554 have an area of more than one hectare while 1,256 are spread over less than one hectare.
In its reply, the department said five wetland sites in J&K have been designated as Ramsar sites of international importance. Major conservation measures being implemented include de-weeding, strengthening and construction of embankments, restoration of hydrological channels, installation of trash barriers, and regular clearance of excessive aquatic vegetation.
To specifically address solid waste dumping in and around Wular Lake, the Wular Conservation & Management Authority (WUCMA) has undertaken closure of dumping sites near the lake, solid waste management initiatives, awareness campaigns, boundary demarcation, lake restoration through dredging, willow removal, and water quality monitoring, the government informed.
The department further said its Ecology, Environment & Remote Sensing wing has initiated a detailed survey and mapping of all wetlands above one hectare using remote sensing data, followed by ground-truthing and boundary demarcation in coordination with the Revenue, Wildlife, and Territorial (Forests) departments. It said 170 GIS-based maps have been uploaded on the National Wetland Portal in KML format to strengthen legal protection and transparency.
Brief documents for six priority wetlands, including the Ahansar-Waskursar complex, Sanasar Lake, Khushalsar and Gilsar Lake complex, Anchar and Rakh-i-Kujar complex, Manasbal Lake, and Narkara, have been prepared. Of these, four have been submitted to the J&K Wetland Authority for notification, while two are under technical examination.
The government stated that other measures to protect water bodies include soil and moisture conservation works, afforestation of degraded catchments to minimize silt inflow, construction of check dams and silt retention structures, promotion of sustainable land use practices, and coordination with other departments for integrated watershed management.
Regarding funds sanctioned for conservation and restoration, the department informed the House that over the last five years, Rs 900 lakh and Rs 14,647 lakh were sanctioned under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme ‘National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Eco-systems (NPCA)’ and UT Capex respectively for the conservation and management of Wular Lake. Additionally, Rs 1,073.69 lakh was expended under UT Capex on works related to soil and water conservation, it added.
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