Waseem Ahmad
SRINAGAR, Nov 5: Notwithstanding tall claims of the authorities in conserving and developing water bodies of the Valley, Gilsar lake in Nowshera area in the heart of Srinagar city is battling for its survival as it has been marred by unabated encroachments and pollution, making it a health hazard.
Known for its crystal clear water till a few decades ago, Gilsar is one of the inter-connected water bodies of Srinagar and in absence of any conservation and regulation measures, it is facing imminent threat of extinction.
The water channels connected with the lake are blocked with garbage and carcasses of animals as they have not been cleaned for the last nine years by Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA) department.
As per the residents of the area, nine years ago, LAWDA used machines to clear the silt from the water body but since then it has turned off the attention from it. They said that the outflow channels from the lake, which passes through residential areas, emanate foul smell; annoying residents and making them suffer badly.
Ghulam Mohiddin, a local, said that the lake was once a tourist attraction, now even the locals want to keep away from it due to its pathetic condition. “The Government’s claims of conserving and developing water bodies fall flat by the sight of Gilsar lake. Nothing is being done at ground level, the cleaning and conservation is on documents only and nothing beyond that,” he said.
Another local resident, Mohammad Lateef, said that authorities are not spending a single penny on the conservation of the lake and despite assurances no concrete step has been taken for the cleaning of the water body. “If the lake is cleaned, it will add beauty to the area but they are not taking the task seriously. LAWDA is in a deep slumber. Many times we approached the officials and every time we were assured that the lake will be cleaned but till date no measures were taken by the LAWDA,” he said
An official of the LAWDA, wishing anonymity, said that some measures have already been taken by it for the conservation of the lake but a lot is still to be done and it needs a huge amount. “We have already submitted a Detailed Project Report (DPR) to the Government, so far the project was not approved,” he said.
“We have already surveyed the area and it needs a lot work including boundaries as encroachments should not happen, that is why the boundaries should be fixed. The cleaning of the lake is not going on as it needs high quality machinery and we have only three machines in 25 kilometres radius. There are thousands of employees involved by the department who clean the lakes manually but one cannot replace a machine by a human. So there is more machinery needed,” he added.
“I think Aanchar lake, Nigeen lake and Gilsar should be divided into eight parts and there should be two to three machines of different types for each part. There are three STPs (Sewage Treatment Plants) but they are obsolete now, they are not maintaining the proper parameters and need up-gradation,” he added.
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