Wetlands Under Crisis in J&K: CAG Flags Massive Loss of Lakes and Ecosystem Decline

A Comptroller and Auditor General of India report flags that 518 of 697 lakes in Jammu and Kashmir have vanished or significantly shrunk due to fragmented   governance and unchecked land-use changes.

• Titled “Conservation and Management of Lakes in Jammu and Kashmir for the period ended March 2022,” the report was recently tabled in the J&K Legislative Assembly.
• The data has been cited from the J&K Ecology, Environment and Remote Sensing Department (EE&RSD).

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Key Highlights of  Report

• Decline in Total Lake Area: the total lake area in the Union Territory has declined by 2,851.26 hectares compared to the base year of 1967. 
  • It highlighted that 315 lakes, 45% of the total 697 lakes in J&K that constitute a water area of 1,537.07 hectares, have disappeared.
• Fragmented Management: The administrative control of lakes in the region is spread across five departments—Forest, Revenue, Agriculture, Housing and Urban Development, and Tourism—leading to fragmented management.
• Causes of Shrinkage of Lakes: The primary causes for the disappearance and shrinkage of lakes were identified as land-use changes within lakes and their catchment areas.
  • Other contributing factors include fragmented governance,  deforestation, climate change, and altered catchment dynamics
• Limited Conservation Efforts: According to the report, government conservation efforts were limited to only six lakes—Dal, Wular, Hokersar, Manasbal, Surinsar, and Mansar—which were examined in detail. 
  • For the remaining 691 lakes, the Forest Department neither identified eligible water bodies nor formulated plans to seek assistance under schemes of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).
• Skewed Funding: Only about one per cent (Rs 560.65 crore) of the J&K CAPEX budget between 2017 and 2022 was allocated to these six lakes.
• Cause of Flooding: The shrinkage of lake area was one of the causes for massive floods in J&K in 2014, as lakes are natural  balancing reservoirs and defence for the flood regulating system.
• Water Area: The water area of 150 lakes (22%) has increased by 538.22 hectares while the water area of 14,535.76 hectares in 29 lakes (4% of 697 lakes) has remained static.

Recommedations

• Need of Centralised Authority: Establishment of a centralised and specialised authority equipped with adequate resources to ensure coordinated, accountable, and effective lake conservation and management. 
• Deployment of Skilled Manpower: It also called for the deployment of skilled manpower, including environmental and hydrological engineers, wetland ecologists, limnologists, remote sensing and GIS specialists, ornithologists and microbiologists.

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Significance of Lakes in Jammu & Kashmir

• Ecological Importance: Lakes in Jammu and Kashmir are part of a vast wetland network. They support rich biodiversity, including migratory birds along the Central Asian Flyway.
• Biodiversity Hotspots: Wetlands like Hokersar host around 2 million migratory birds annually, making them crucial habitats for global biodiversity. 
  • The region also has Ramsar-designated wetlands of international importance.
• Hydrological Regulation: Lakes contribute to groundwater recharge, nutrient cycling, and water purification, essential for maintaining hydrological balance. 
  • Their degradation has been linked to disasters such as the 2014 Kashmir floods.
• Climate Regulation: Wetlands help in carbon sequestration and microclimate regulation, contributing to climate stability. 
  • Their loss increases vulnerability to climate change impacts in the fragile Himalayan ecosystem.
• Environmental Security: Wetlands act as “ecological kidneys” by filtering pollutants and maintaining environmental health. 
  • Their degradation threatens long-term ecological security and sustainability.

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