Srinagar, Feb 11: The Anchar lake and Shalabugh wetland are dying slowly due to the pollution of the water bodies adjacent to each other, the observers have feared.
 They said sewage of many residential colonies in Soura and the waste drawn out from the SK Institute of Medical Sciences was polluting the water bodies.
 Even though thousands of migratory birds from Siberia, China, Eastern Europe and parts of Central Asia are back on a transitory visit of the Shalbugh wetland and Anchar, observers said the flora and the fauna there wasn’t that conducive for the birds as it used to be in the past.
 Habibullah, 65, lives on the periphery of the Shallabugh wetland reserve. His love for migratory birds has made him an ardent bird watcher since childhood.
 “I have always watched innumerable number of these winged visitors flying to this wetland. There is a fixed time of their arrival and departure time,” Habibullah said while sitting on the wetland banks.
 However, Habibullah said the wetland has got polluted over the years.
 “It neither has those crystal clear waters nor the fish as there used to be in the past,” he said whole pointing towards the blackish water.
 Like Habibullah, the youth of the area fear that the unchecked pollution could leave the wetland barren.
 Their views are supported by observers.  “Most of the pollutants coming out of the SKIMS find way into this wetland and nobody is taking pains to get rid of it,” said an official of Wildlife department.
 Observers said the major cause of pollution of the water bodies was the pollution of the Anchar lake.
 “As if the pollution from SKIMS was not enough to destroy this world famous wetland, that the drains flowing out from colonies like Ahmed Nagar, Umerhair, Buchpora and the adjoining areas make their way into the water body,” said some locals of Anchar area.
 “These water bodies are important asset that nature has bestowed upon us and it’s the duty of the government to preserve them before it’ll be too late,” said a local Riyaz Ahmed.
 The director SKIMS didn’t respond to phone calls despite several attempts. A person who spoke on his behalf denied that the SKIMS’s disposal was causing any pollution to the water bodies.
 “These are baseless allegations,” he said.
 As about the sewage of some Soura areas, an official said the government was taking measures to put a check on the direct inflow of sewage into the lake.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 11 Feb 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:00:00 IST