The Dal lake is shrinking. It's waters are weed-ridden.

Untreated waste finds its way into the water.

People continue to "build" land on the lake area. An ambitious project to save the lake was launched
in 1997, but hardly any headway has been made
-- FOR the people of Kashmir, the unbelievable is
happening. Their famed Dal lake is dying before their eyes.
The government says it is "committed" to save the lake, but
ifs and buts rule the roost. One such attempt to save the
lake was made in 1997 with the launch of the "Rs 500 crore
Save Dal Project". The project was started after the state
government sought help from the Union ministry of
environment and forests ( MEF ) to restore the lake to its
former glory. This was during Saifuddin Soz's tenure as MEF minister. Subsequently, Dal was
accorded top priority under the National Lake Conservation Plan which includes 21 lake systems
across the country.
A Project Feasibility Report ( PFR ) was prepared by the MEF in consultation with the state ministry
of housing and urban development and a separate body -- the Jammu and Kashmir Lakes and
Waterways Development Authority ( J&KLWDA ) -- was set up to implement the project. According
to the agreement, the Centre "agreed in principle" to shoulder the conservation expenditure
amounting to Rs 297.90 crore, while the state decided to bear the rehabilitation expense of Dal
dwellers estimated at Rs 194 crore.
But, two years later, the ambitious project has hardly made any headway. While Soz blames it on
both the Central and state governments, state minister for housing and urban development Molvi
Iftikhar Hussain Ansari says, "Despite shortage of finances, we have released money. But the
Centre has not kept its commitment." Meanwhile, scientists have started predicting the death of the
Dal. Even Ansari, who is also chairperson of J&KLWDA , says, "Scientists say that Dal lake will be
no more in 30 years, but I feel that it will die within 20 years."
The genesis of the problem The most serious threat to the lake comes from the swelling
population within and on its periphery. The lake shelters 58 hamlets with a population of 50,000
people, who have property rights over 300 hectares (6,000 kanals ) of agricultural land and 670 ha
(13,400 kanals ) of water area as per the socio-economic survey of 1986 conducted by the Urban
Environment Engineering Department ( UEED ). All this has drastically reduced the size of the lake.
According to ancient manuscripts, the lake area was 75 square kilometres in 1200 AD . This had
been reduced to 10.56 sq km in 1983, says R D Kundanagar, director, research and development,
J&KLWDA .
The government banned construction of huts and other structures on the lake and the periphery as
early as 1978-79. But encroachments on the lake continued unabated. "This became possible only
by greasing the palms of the officials concerned," sources in the J&KLWDA say. Besides, there are
more than 1,400 houseboats on the lake, a J&KLWDA report says.
In the absence of Sewage Treatment Plants ( STP s), untreated sewage of Srinagar city also finds
its way into the lake everyday. According to Ansari, "There was a plan to install an STP , estimated
at Rs 100 crore, at Nishat Bagh to treat city effluents but due to financial constraints the work on this
project is progressing at a slow pace."
"Although it is mandatory for hotels to install STP s, only one five-star hotel, has done so," Sarmad
Hafiz, legal advisor of J&KLWDA , says. Wastes, including human excreta, from the houseboats and
the hamlets in the lake are also emptied into it. The PFR notes that the water is contaminated by
faeces. "An increase in the total faecal coliforms was recorded in the Boulevard area," the report
says. "It has been found that the local population usually suffers from gastroenteritis," says
Kundanagar.
Rich in phosphorous, sodium and potassium, the sewage provides natural fertilisers to aquatic
weeds, which are, in turn, used by the people as manure for vegetable cultivation."The use of
pesticides and fertilisers for vegetable cultivation in the catchment area and floating gardens on the
lake have also increased the chemical content of the lake water," says A R Yousuf, reader,
department of zoo-logy, University of Kashmir.
Then there is the problem of siltation. According to the PFR , the Dal receives 80,000 tonnes of flow
annually. The heavy inflow of silt, sediments and nutrients from the catchment and peripheral areas
of the lake has also resulted in reduction of the inflow of water and prolific growth of weeds. The red
algae bloom in the lake - first noticed in 1993 - is just one example, say officials at J&KLWDA. The
pollution is also taking a heavy toll on flora and fauna in Dal wetlands. Microorganisms have
vanished altogether and the population of some indigenous fishes have also been reduced
considerably, says Yousuf.
Plans gone awry
The 1997 Save Dal project was not the first such project aimed at conserving the lake. Conservation
attempts were started some two decades ago. Between 1978 and 1997, Rs 71.60 crore was spent
on various "Save Dal" projects under the aegis of UEED . However, nothing concrete has been
achieved.
The current project envisaged acquisition of the land and water area, which the people living in the
lake own. However, people living in the Dal say the property they own in the lake is ancestral. Says
Soz, "Of course, there are some who have inhabited the Dal for over 100 years... and, yes, initially it
was beautiful to produce vegetables and lotus in the Dal. But now it is getting out of hand and
polluting the Dal so we have to get them out."
After much persuasion, the lake dwellers agreed to vacate, says Soz. The authorities approved a
rate of Rs one lakh and Rs 30,000 for every 0.05 ha (one kanal ) of land and water area
respectively, and a plot of land in a well-developed colony for every family. However, till March 1999,
only 335 families (out of 6,000) had been shifted. This excludes 331 families shifted during 1978-97
under previous projects.
The new colonies are also far from developed. "We were shifted to Panch-karwari. Though we were
paid Rs 8,000 for 0.05 hectare of land in the lake, the plot in Panchkarwari was pro-vided to us at Rs
20,000 in this colony. Our colony is still devoid of water and electri-city supply. And, while we were
forced to vacate, around 50 shops were allowed to be raised illegally in the notified area," says
Gulam Rasool, an elderly resident who was shifted some 12 years ago. Even the stipulated amount
is hard to get. "On an average, one has to give 5 to 10 per cent commission to officials to get it
approved," they say.
The relocated families also blame the authorities for failing to fulfil promises. "Every displaced family
was assured a job for one member of the family as we were solely dependent on vegetable
cultivation and cultivation of nadru (lotus stems). Not only were we deprived of it, no job was
provided," says Mohammed Yousuf Sofi, president, Ithidia Committee, a conglomerate of relocated
families. "Enough is enough. If the government will not listen to our pleas, we will go back to the
Dal," says Bashir Ahmed Ashraf relocated at Ashraf colony.
Most of the men are working as casual labourers now. The condition of women, parti-cularly those
involved in mat-weaving, are no better. The raw material is only available in the Dal. "Now it has
become difficult to procure the raw material since our colonies are located on the city outskirts," says
Begum Faizi a resident of Gulshanpora, Badamwari colony.
The interference of local politicians has worsened matters. It is alleged that some poli-ticians do not
want the lake dwellers to be shifted fearing "erosion of their vote bank". Ansari, however, disagrees
that politicians are creating hurdles, "It is some neo-business class and some rich men who do not
want the lake dwellers to be resettled near their plush houses. Politicians have nothing to lose."
Conservation plans
The salient features of the latest conservation programme includes afforestation and soil
conservation in catchment areas, trapping of debris and sediments from the catchment areas by
constructing a basin, marginal dredging of all marshy areas, prevention of pollution by diverting
sewage and drainage from settlements on the peri-phery of the lake and installing a sewage
treatment plant and construction of green buffer areas along the lake.
Though the time limit for the completion of the project was expected to be four to five years,
authorities say the project may get delayed. The whole project is in disarray following tremendous
shortage of finances, say members of J&KLWDA . According to the latest J&KLWDA report, the
Centre released Rs 50 crore to the state in 1997-98 and 1998-99 as against the promised Rs 200
crore. "The Rs 50 crore was released during my tenure," says Soz. "Though the ministry of
environment and forests at the centre has always played games, but during my time I did not let
them do so.
The present state government has failed to procure any more funds," he says. Of the Rs 50 crore,
the state government has released only Rs 0.75 crore and Rs 18.25 crore in 1997-98 and 1998-99,
respectively. From its own kitty, the state government provided only Rs 24.50 crore for rehabilitation.
The J&KLWDA , in turn, has utilised Rs 5. 29 crore for rehabilitation and rest has been utilised on
conservation.
Despite lack of finances, state officials point out that the de-weeding, dredging and aerating
processes have shown results. Two aerators are being operated in parts of the lake where there is a
profusion of red algae bloom.
The government has also procured two dredgers to regain the water body lost due to siltation. Says
M Bhat of J&KLWDA , "In the initial stages, we have decided to get rid of the silt within 75 metres of
the lake shores. But we will go beyond 75 metres in the course of time. So far, about 5.75 lakh cubic
metres of silt has been cleared from the lake."
The government has also procured a weed harvester. However, despite the lake brimming with
weeds, the harvester is used only twice a year. When asked why the harvester is not used more
frequently to get rid of the weeds once and for all, Bhat says, "We will do it as and when required."
And though the deweeders are rusting in the lake waters, Bhat feels there is a need for more such
machines if the Dal is to be purged of this menace.