Dal Lake is one of the famous urban fresh water lakes in Kashmir division that mostly stretches over Srinagar city. Tourists from around the world enjoy staying at floating Houseboats besides taking boat rides in it.
With the rapid urbanisation and non-planned dumping of sewage wastes, the area of Dal began to shrink considerably. Most of its interior parts have been either encroached or turned into marshy lands.
A cold and lackadaisical stratagem adopted by successive governments has caused a silent death to this magnificent lake. It has also affected the aquatic life forms immensely by destroying many micro level ecosystems.
The recent de-weeding drive initiated by the J&K administration is highly commendable but what needs to be understood is that a superficial cleaning drive cannot heal the Dal Lake which requires a more comprehensive scientific project.
The sewage dumping, plantations and washing away off fertilizers into the Lake has created a vicious cycle which cannot be broken by a seven day de-weeding drive. To this very day, the government especially through J&K Lakes and Waterways Development Authority ha spent crores of rupees on de-weeding and cleaning drives but the condition of the lake continues to deteriorate.
The process of eutrophication needs to be ended at an earliest because until then the growth of weeds will continue increase that eventually turns it’s waters murky due to the reception of less oxygen.
The government and people collectively must understand the gravity of this matter and should incorporate result oriented projects that will not only clean but replenish the Lake water