SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology and Environment and Tribal Affairs, Javed Ahmed Rana, on Thursday reviewed pollution concerns in Dal Lake and directed authorities to adopt a coordinated approach for its protection, conservation and restoration.
Chairing a meeting attended by officials of the J&K Lakes Conservation and Management Authority (LCMA), Public Health Engineering and Irrigation & Flood Control Department, Urban Environmental Engineering Department and the J&K Pollution Control Committee, Rana stressed the need for both immediate and long-term measures to address sources of pollution affecting the lake.
The minister described Dal Lake as an important ecological, cultural and tourism asset and said its protection required coordinated efforts by all concerned agencies and stakeholders. He emphasised the need to preserve the lake’s ecosystem and maintain its ecological balance amid increasing human activity.
Officials informed the meeting that sewage entering the lake is being treated through existing facilities before discharge. They said a 30-million-litre-per-day (MLD) sewage treatment plant is being constructed under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and is expected to be completed within the next two years. The facility is expected to enhance wastewater treatment capacity and help reduce pollution levels in the lake.
The meeting reviewed measures being implemented for lake conservation, including removal of encroachments, daily collection and disposal of waste, deweeding operations and conversion of aquatic weeds into bio-fertilisers.
Officials also informed the minister that enforcement measures were being carried out to curb activities contributing to pollution and degradation of the lake.
Rana directed authorities to strengthen pollution-control measures, improve inter-agency coordination and ensure regular monitoring of water quality. He also called for the identification of pollution hotspots to enable timely corrective action.
The minister said conservation efforts should focus on wastewater treatment, solid-waste management, removal of encroachments, deweeding, pollution monitoring and enforcement measures. He also stressed the need for public awareness and participation, particularly among communities living around and dependent on the lake.
He directed the concerned departments to ensure that ongoing short-term measures and long-term interventions result in measurable improvements in the ecological health of Dal Lake.
