The J&K government has conservation and management programs for only six lakes, which include Dal, Wular, Hokersar, Manasbal, Surinsar and Mansar lakes. | Photo credit: PTI
A whopping 518 lakes, representing 74%, have either disappeared or shrunk in Jammu and Kashmir, leading to ecosystem degradation and climate uncertainty, according to the latest report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India on Lake Conservation and Management for the period up to March 2022.
The report highlighted that 315 lakes, 45% of the total 697 lakes in J&K, covering a water area of 1,537.07 hectares, have disappeared. “These lakes included 80 lakes (25%) under the jurisdiction of the Forest Department and 235 lakes (75%) under the jurisdiction of the Department of Revenue and the Department of Agriculture,” the company said.
The water area of 203 lakes (29% of 697 lakes) decreased by 1,314.19 hectares. The report suggests that water in 63 lakes has disappeared by “greater than or equal to 50%”. “So there is a potential greater risk of extinction of these 63 lakes. The 203 lakes included 98 lakes (48%), 83 lakes (41%), 20 lakes (10%) and two lakes,” he added.
Meanwhile, the water area of 150 lakes (22%) increased by 538.22 hectares. “The water area of 14,535.76 hectares in 29 lakes (4% of 697 lakes) remained static,” the report said.
The CAG report suggested that shrinking lake area was also one of the causes of the massive floods in J&K in September 2014 “as lakes are natural flood buffering reservoirs and protection for the flood control system”.
He pointed out that the four administrative divisions and the forest department did not have generic lake management programs and as such failed to control the increasing anthropogenic pressures around the lakes, resulting in loss and reduction of open water area and increase in aquatic vegetation. “This has adversely affected the ecosystem of the lakes,” it said.
She further pointed out that the non-formulation of protection and management programs and the implementation of generic lake management activities by the concerned district administrations and the forest department at 44 lakes led to anthropogenic pressures caused by human activity, including construction works. “These anthropogenic pressures have led to land use changes in these lakes,” he added.
The fact remains that according to a report by the J&K Department of Ecology, Environment and Remote Sensing, “697 lakes have not been surveyed in detail. Therefore, the physical, chemical and biological dynamics of the lakes were not available to prepare development plans for these lakes,” it said.
Besides, 255 lakes under the jurisdiction of the forest department “had no comprehensive conservation and management programme”. “Although high-altitude lakes in protected areas are free from anthropogenic pressures, they may face waterlogging and water resource-related problems. As such, they also require conservation and management efforts,” she suggested.
The J&K government has conservation and management programs for only six lakes, which include Dal, Wular, Hokersar, Manasbal, Surinsar and Mansar lakes.
Published – 07 Apr 2026 09:37 IST
