Yes, the world famous Dal Lake is ‘drowning’. It is suffocating. It is battling for survival. Those who are environmentalists and lovers of nature must be wondering what could be the extent of human greed and merciless instincts to ravage and violate symbols of natural boons like the one under reference granted by the benevolent nature to people primarily to enjoy and to get tremendously benefitted but not for killing the ‘golden goose that was laying golden eggs’ without even asking for any feed.
With this emotional note of a virtual epitaph, we share with our readers that the expert committee on Dal Lake recently submitted its report on ‘protection and conservation’ of this famous lake before the State High Court, the kernel of which is “the lake was the victim of the human (unlimited) greed”. The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Sanjeev Kumar received the report from the Committee in a sealed cover for further proceedings to follow. The importance of the topography of the area existing as a part of its geo-morphological profile has been touched in the report.
Who is concerned and worried about the lake, who will reverse the causes of pollution in and around the lake, who will change the deteriorating quality and colour of otherwise crystal clear sweet water of this natural lake, who will remove illegal habitation around and on its wilfully turned dried and encroached areas, who will stop flowing of effluents and sewage from the illegally constructed localities around this lake, who will rue for many species of fish in it living till three decades back, having vanished for all times to come – there is no loud wakeup call for it?
The Government alone could never succeed in whatever efforts it took unless the people felt emotionally disturbed on sincerely realising the deteriorating condition of this lake and on war footing, cooperated with the Government agencies to retrieve and save this fast dying lake. We rush to courts for giving us directions even in matters where we ourselves could do what was urgently required. The floating gardens, the residential houses, restaurants, hotels etc having gradually come up along and on this lake have largely contributed towards its present worrisome conditions. The question is as to whether love for nature and “a thing of beauty is a joy forever” is fast vanishing from our psyche?
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