Srinagar, April 6 – A recent report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on Jammu and Kashmir has revealed a disturbing fact: 518 lakes have either disappeared completely or have become so degraded that they cannot be saved.
The CAG report has highlighted an environmental crisis in Jammu and Kashmir, with 518 out of 697 surveyed lakes either having disappeared or becoming severely degraded.
The audit, which analyzed data from 1967 to 2020, found that 315 lakes have completely disappeared due to rampant encroachment, urban expansion, and changes in land use.
The CAG has raised concerns about this emerging ecological crisis in the union territory, which could worsen if immediate measures are not taken.
The report specifically identified seven water bodies that have disappeared, including Rakh-e-Arth, Sethergund Numbal, Marhama, Devpursar, Mahtan, Chandargar Numbal, and Galwal Talao, which have become "invisible" after drying up completely.
The degradation is largely due to human activities, driven by the conversion of wetlands into agricultural, residential, or commercial land. The report also points out the failure of conservation programs for major water bodies like Dal and Wullar, citing untreated sewage and the ineffectiveness of designated authorities as major issues.
Of the 315 vanished lakes, 235 were under the supervision of the Revenue and Agriculture Departments, while 80 were managed by the Forest Department. Only six key lakes (Dal, Wullar, Hokersar, Manasbal, Surinsar, and Mansar) received focused attention, leaving the remaining 691 without proper management plans.
The CAG report recommends a specialized, unified authority to prevent further loss and ensure the restoration of these vital water bodies.
In a related development, a recent scientific study has identified five high-altitude glacial lakes in the Kashmir Himalayas as having a "very high susceptibility" to Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), which can be triggered by extreme weather events like cloudbursts.
The local authorities highlighted Bramsar and Chirsar (Kulgam), Nundkol and Gangabal (Ganderbal), and Bhagsar (Shopian) as the high-risk lakes. The study on the susceptibility and potential downstream implications across the Kashmir Himalayas was carried out by a team of scientists from the University of Kashmir.