For the restoration of Wular Lake, 33.45 lakh cubic meter silt has been dredged out and 1 lakh willows removed, the government said.
“So far 33.45 lakh cubic meter silt has been dredged out against a target 63.93 lakh cubic meter for restoring an area of 1.5 sq km,” Chief Executive Director of the Wular Conservation and Management Authority (WUCMA), Syed Farooq Gillani told Greater Kashmir.
He said there were around 20 lakh willows in the Wular which after proper environmental impact assessment were being removed for lake’s protection.
“So far, we have removed 1 lakh willows from which revenue of Rs 12 crore has been generated,” Gillani said.
Started in 2012, the government has accelerated the restoration of WUCMA along with its implementing agency.
“Siltation has happened for decades as there are huge catchment areas around Wular. Besides, the entire Jhelum passes through Wular,” Gillani said.
He said that for the lake having so many qualities and tremendous tourism potential, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha’s administration had gathered pace and allotted funds for its rapid restoration.
Gillani said WUCMA had no problem in terms of encroachment in the lake but massive plantation since decades starting from the 1970s by the locals and by the Forest department for firewood had reduced the ‘water holding capacity’ of the lake.
Wular Lake is a protected site through Ramsar Convention given its biodiversity importance. Moreover, the lake serves as Asian Flyway Birding Site having ‘tremendous’ tourist potential. The lake contributes to 60 percent fish production in Jammu and Kashmir while at least 50 villages depend on the lake’s produce ranging from fish, water chestnut and Nelumbo.
Gillani, who inspected the conservation work, said, “If the restoration works go at the same pace, the lake will benefit all the villagers living around it in terms of increase in lake’s produce like fish, water chestnuts and Nilembo besides uplifting its tourism significance.”
According to experts, who have been working on the lake since 2012, the lake acts as the ‘lungs’ of River Jhelum as it serves as its flood basin besides connecting other rivulets.
According to the conservation authorities, the demarcated area of the lake is 130 sq km from which 27 sq km are “critically silted”.