Onlykashmir.in News Desk
The reported shrinkage of Anchar Lake in Srinagar from around 19.5 square kilometres to just 6.5 square kilometres has raised serious questions about the protection of one of the city’s important wetlands, with Awami Itihaad Party (AIP) Chief Spokesperson Inam Un Nabi demanding accountability from the Lake Conservation and Management Authority (LCMA).
“If Anchar has gone from 19.5 to 6.5 square kilometres, the question is simple: what was LCMA doing while this decline was taking place? Who was monitoring the lake and its boundaries, and what action was taken to prevent further loss?” Inam Un Nabi said.
He pointed out that the Comptroller and Auditor General’s audit of the conservation and management of lakes in Jammu and Kashmir has also recorded the degrading and shrinking of Anchar Lake. The audit’s examination of land-use changes, he said, found built-up activity and encroachments in and around lake areas, which strengthens the case for a transparent review of how the water body has been managed.
The AIP leader called on the government to place in the public domain the historical and present boundaries of Anchar, records of inspections and encroachment action, details of conservation expenditure and the measures taken by the LCMA over the years. Such disclosure, he said, would allow citizens to judge for themselves how the loss occurred and who was responsible for monitoring it.
“The people of Srinagar deserve a clear account of how this loss occurred and what the responsible authority did to stop it. Anchar is also part of the city’s natural flood-management system, so its continued decline cannot be treated as a routine environmental issue,” he said.
Wetlands such as Anchar play an important role in the ecology of the Kashmir Valley. They store floodwater, recharge groundwater, support fish and migratory birds and provide livelihoods to communities that depend on them for fishing, vegetables and fodder. Their loss reduces the natural capacity of the city to absorb heavy rain and rising river levels, an issue that gained particular urgency after the devastating floods in the Valley in 2014.
Environmentalists have repeatedly warned that encroachment, solid waste and untreated sewage are among the main threats to the Valley’s lakes and that restoration requires both clear demarcation of boundaries and consistent enforcement. The LCMA is the body responsible for the conservation and management of the Union Territory’s lakes and waterbodies, which is why questions about shrinkage are directed at it.
The figures cited by the party are described as reported, and the authority has not yet responded in public to the points raised. The demand for a full accounting adds to a wider debate over how the Valley can protect its remaining wetlands while managing the pressures of a growing city.
