Where is the Dal Lake?

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 27

Dal is dying. It is not the climate change that is killing it. It’s being strangulated by men and women due to their corruption and greed. The heritage lake is nearing its end because of the elements that have been engaged in their self-serving exercise spread over decades. It is not a Nostradamus’ prediction, it is clearly visible in the shrinking lake. The naked eye can see vegetation all around and it is becoming difficult to row a boat or “shikara” in the lake.

Hundreds of crores of rupees allocated to clear the weeds and restore the lake to its pristine glory have either made it to corrupt politicians and bureaucrats or they have not been utilised properly. So much so, the World Bank aid, too, has been wasted.

Where has all money gone? There are no clear answers. There is a little hope of the lake surviving for the posterity for its original size of 21 sq km stands shrunk to almost half, and a large portion of that half is under threat because of the dumping of the earth to make it habitable for the unscrupulous elements with money and powerful political connections. Its catchment areas have already been encroached upon and the dirt is flowing into the lake.

Its water does not shimmer at many places because either it has been taken over by vegetation or converted into landmass for construction of houses, which no one dares to demolish because of political interests.