Why in the News?
According to CAG report, 518 out of 697 lakes (74%) in Jammu and Kashmir have either disappeared or shrunk, causing ecosystem degradation and climate risks.
Key Findings
- Total lakes assessed: 697
- Lakes disappeared: 315 (45%)
- Lakes shrunk: 203 (29%)
- Total affected lakes: 518 (74%)
- 63 lakes lost ≥50% water area
Other Observations
- 150 lakes (22%) increased in area
- 29 lakes (4%) remained unchanged
Major Causes
- Encroachment and construction
- Land use change
- Aquatic vegetation growth
- Lack of conservation plans
- Anthropogenic pressure
Flood Risk
- Shrinking lakes contributed to 2014 Kashmir floods
- Lakes act as natural flood buffers
Governance Gaps
- No conservation plans for 255 lakes
- No detailed survey of 697 lakes
- Poor coordination among departments
Lakes with Conservation Programmes
- Only 6 lakes have management plans: Dal Lake, Wular Lake, Hokersar, Manasbal Lake, Surinsar Lake, and Mansar Lake.
| [2023] Consider the following statements: 1 Jhelum River passes through Wular Lake. 2 Krishna River directly feeds Kolleru Lake. 3 Meandering of Gandak River formed Kanwar Lake. How many of the statements given above are correct? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All three (d) None |
