We are, in fact, desiring intensely, rather would give our eyeteeth for those moments, when political leadership would feel the pinch to raise the voice for saving natural legacy and priceless symbols of heritage in Jammu and Kashmir State with the same interest and pitch as they do on mostly petty political matters . It is not that most of them are oblivious to the fact that natural bounties and boons are mercilessly ravaged and havoc wreaked on them as also that the time was slipping out of hands in saving them but their taciturnity and indifferent attitude was conspicuous of their peculiar mind-set. Famous Wular Lake in Kashmir also known with its ancient name of Mahapadmasar is one of the overriding examples of abject human neglect, gross exploitation and overdrawing, apathy and the like under which come all types of inflicting of blows after blows to it like encroachments, dumping garbage and municipal wastes in it, willow plantation, weed infestation, drying up its shallow watered spots for agricultural farming and construction of houses, hunting of waterfowls and migratory birds as also employing other measures to allow it to shrink and lose fast, its sheen and pristine glory.
While the number of ardent environmentalists, natural lovers and heritage savers is astonishingly abysmally low or hypothetically even if they are reasonably sufficient, at the same time they are neither organised nor are encouraged in any way to initiate a mass movement and awareness, which is needed the most, to save water bodies, lakes, rivers, streams, springs etc as also our green gold or the lush green forests which are not only shrunk in area but felling of trees is going on unabatedly. Not only is the Asia’s famous fresh water Wular lake but also the Dal, Manasbal and Nagin lakes crying for the attention of the authorities, the political leadership, social and cultural organisations and the public to save them from virtual dying. The question is whether anyone is really listening. Yes, the Wular in local parlance was in good old days seen, if not literary termed as an ocean of Kashmir depicting its vast area. Both the lakes used to be considered among the first ones considered as special boons of unparalleled beauty granted by nature to the valley of Kashmir.
As on date, this famous natural lake has shrunk by as much as half of its original size and this devastation has taken place with intensity during the last three decades. If on-going militancy and its various aftermaths can be held responsible to a large extent for the levels of ravaging which the lakes and forests are reduced to, it would not be any exaggeration. Fast encroachment on banks of lakes and widening them, eating into the size of these lakes and raising residential colonies and dumping waste material therefrom into the lakes happened at an alarming speed during this very period. Many wetlands survive because of the discharge of water from the lakes like the Wular. Notable Hokersar, Narkara, Manibugh and other wetlands too are faced with problems of the common hue particularly that of shrinking which affects the habitation of migratory birds whose population is not only decreasing continuously but adjoining marshy lands are dried up and encroached upon too.
The local population living around these priceless natural assets and blessings need not only to evaluate the tremendous importance of these lakes and water bodies to the environment, ecology, flora and fauna, local areas’ economy and employment avenues but how an awareness could be built to save, protect, preserve and restore them to their original forms. If we continue to disregard nature and keep on violating it and overdrawing from it, it could spell doom and despair which would be not only difficult to retrieve but impossible to reverse. Once there is public awakening, the Government, administration and the politicians would fall in line to join the movement to save Wular, Dal, Nagin and other similar natural assets.
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