Srinagar’s water bodies vulnerable to contamination due to improper waste disposal

SRINAGAR: Srinagar’s lakes are under a threat of contamination due to direct disposal of waste into the water bodies, as per the recent Srinagar Metropolitan Plan (SMP) Report 2035. Lack of proper solid and liquid waste management may also lead to a rise in a number of health problems.

The report, which was approved in February 2019, by the State Administrative Council (SAC) and is headed by Satya Pal Malik, Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, indicates that the rise in urbanisation in the past four decades has led to the compromising position of many water bodies of Srinagar. “The city sewage and industrial waste are major contribution to water pollution. Very less percentage of waste water generated is treated and the rest is discharged as it is in water bodies. Agricultural runoff or water from fields that drain into rivers is another major pollutant as it contains fertilizers and pesticides,” said the report.

The deteriorating condition of water bodies which feed the lakes would probably lead to the contamination of the Dal lake, which has been the focus of conservation by the government for quite some time. The report said, “Due to complex interconnectivity of these water bodies, comprehensive environmental studies of other water bodies need to be undertaken immediately. Disposal of untreated sewage into the Dal Lake and Jhelum river is one of the main reasons for the degradation of the quality of the water.”

A detailed proposal for the ecosystem conservation of Srinagar’s water bodies like Anchar, Gilsar and Khushalsar has been submitted to the government, reports Rising Kashmir News. While efforts are still being made to protect the Dal and Nigeen lake, it is critical to implement a solid waste disposal management system to preserve the ecosystem of the aesthetic city, as indicated by the comprehensive report.