Tribunal Flags Sewage Inflow, Ecological Decline at Kashmir’s deepest lake
FIRDOUS AHMAD
SRINAGAR, Feb 2: The National Green Tribunal (NGT), Principal Bench, New Delhi, has taken serious cognisance of the fast-deteriorating ecological health of Manasbal Lake and issued a series of firm directions to central and Union Territory authorities to assess water quality, identify pollution sources and place on record concrete action taken to protect the notified wetland.
The directions were passed by a Bench comprising Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Chairperson, and Dr A. Senthil Vel, Expert Member, while hearing Original Application No. 74/2026 filed by environmental activist Raja Muzaffar Bhat. The matter was heard on January 30, 2026, and has been listed for further hearing on April 22, 2026.
In his application, the applicant raised grave concerns over the continued discharge of untreated sewage into Manasbal Wetland through the Lar Canal in Ganderbal district. It was alleged that sewage from as many as 14 villages is flowing untreated into the wetland, posing a serious threat to its ecological integrity and public health.
The Tribunal noted that Manasbal Wetland is included in the official list of wetlands outside forest and wildlife protected areas in Jammu and Kashmir under the Wetlands Rules, 2017. It is also part of the National Wetland Atlas of Jammu and Kashmir. Photographs placed on record as Annexure A-3 were relied upon to support the claim that untreated sewage is being discharged into the wetland.
The applicant further relied upon a detailed scientific study titled “Current Status of Macrophyte Diversity and Distribution in Manasbal Lake, Kashmir, India”, which highlights alarming ecological changes within the lake. The study explains that Manasbal Lake currently shows good coverage of macrophytes, but this proliferation is accelerating due to changes in water quality, water level fluctuations, shallowing of the lake caused by sedimentation, and increasing pollution in the form of solid waste entering through inlet tributaries and channels from adjacent habitations and agricultural fields.
The report states that nutrient enrichment of waters, primarily due to domestic sewage and other anthropogenic inputs, has caused drastic changes in aquatic plant biomass and species composition. With eutrophication, macrophyte growth becomes extremely dense, eventually replacing submerged species with emergent macrophytes. According to the study, emergent plant species dominate in shallow waters, floating-leaf macrophytes prevail in deeper waters, while submerged aquatic plants occur in the deepest zones of the lake.
The concluding portion of the study, heavily relied upon by the applicant, reveals that macrophyte proliferation in Manasbal Lake is being driven by nutrient-rich inflows originating from domestic sewage, animal dung used by locals for drying on lake margins, and detergents used for washing clothes directly within the lake. The dominance of Azolla species in terms of density, frequency, abundance and highest Importance Value Index was identified as a serious ecological threat. While Euryale ferox was recorded only at one site, the report attributed its absence elsewhere to increased human interference.
The study further recorded that the highest diversity index values were observed at Kondabal, Gratabal and Jarokabal sites, while areas experiencing higher anthropogenic pressure showed declining diversity. The researchers concluded that Manasbal Lake is evolving at a rapid pace towards increased productivity, clearly indicating ecological stress, and stressed the immediate need for effective conservation and restoration measures. Constant monitoring and development of appropriate management strategies were described as extremely important for the future protection and conservation of the lake.
In addition to the scientific study, the applicant relied upon a newspaper report titled “Manasbal Lake’s Environmental Crisis Demands Immediate Action”, filed as Annexure A-5. This report disclosed the status of the sewage treatment plant meant for Manasbal Lake, revealing that the project was initiated nearly a decade ago and represents a significant infrastructure investment. However, despite substantial progress, the project remains incomplete, and untreated sewage continues to enter the lake.
The report underlined that timely operationalisation of the sewage treatment plant would mark a crucial turning point in Manasbal’s restoration journey. It warned that the current situation, where untreated sewage is being continuously discharged into the lake, highlights the urgent need to expedite the final phases of the project.
Serious concern was also raised about the functioning of the Manasbal Development Authority, which was established as a dedicated institution for lake conservation. The Authority is currently operating under interim administrative arrangements, and the report strongly recommended the appointment of a permanent Chief Executive Officer to strengthen institutional capacity and improve coordination of conservation efforts.
The Kondabal area, one of the four villages surrounding Manasbal Lake, was identified as a major pressure point. The report stated that residents of Kondabal are directly impacting the lake’s ecosystem through unregulated discharge of domestic waste, encroachments along lake boundaries, lack of proper sanitation facilities and unchecked construction activities. It further observed that Kondabal requires immediate relocation and rehabilitation, noting that continued residence in the present location exposes inhabitants to serious health hazards while simultaneously accelerating the degradation of the lake. The report described relocation not only as an environmental necessity but also as a humanitarian imperative.
The study and newspaper report collectively suggested immediate measures, including the emergency appointment of a qualified CEO for the Manasbal Development Authority, time-bound completion of the sewage treatment plant with dedicated resources, formulation and implementation of a comprehensive relocation and rehabilitation plan for Kondabal residents, and coordinated pollution source management addressing direct sewage discharge and agricultural runoff.
The applicant also relied upon the Supreme Court’s landmark order dated February 8, 2017, passed in M.K. Balakrishnan and others versus Union of India and others, wherein the apex court directed that all identified wetlands across the country are required to be protected. The Tribunal noted that since Manasbal Wetland is an identified wetland, it is legally required to be protected in terms of the said order.
After considering the submissions, the Tribunal issued notice to the respondents and directed the applicant to serve copies and file an affidavit of service at least one week before the next date of hearing. The Central Pollution Control Board and the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee were specifically directed to ascertain the status of water quality of Manasbal Wetland, identify sources of discharge of pollutants into the wetland and submit a detailed status and action-taken report at least one week prior to the next hearing. Other respondents have also been directed to file their replies by way of affidavits within the same timeframe.
Quoting the conclusion of the report, the Tribunal observed that Manasbal Lake stands at a critical juncture. The report warns that society can either act now to save this ecological treasure or watch it disappear forever. It stresses that restoration of Manasbal Lake is not merely about saving a water body but about preserving Kashmir’s natural heritage, protecting public health and ensuring sustainable development for future generations. Every day of delay, the report cautions, brings the region closer to losing this jewel forever.
With the matter now posted for April 22, 2026, the Tribunal’s intervention has brought renewed focus on Manasbal Lake, raising expectations that long-pending administrative inertia will finally give way to decisive action to protect one of Kashmir’s most ecologically significant wetlands.
