HISTORY OF DAL LAKE

Dal Lake has rightfully become an icon of the Kashmir tourism industry. A Himalayan urban lake, it has five basins and a number of channels that are well linked with each other. There are plenty of fishes in Dal Lake and fishery is the second largest industry of the region centered on the lake. The sparkling quiet waters of Dal surrounded by snow-capped mountains on its three sides, undoubtedly mark it as one of the most beautiful lakes of India. It is also the second largest lake in the State of Jammu and Kashmir with numerous gardens and orchards all along its shores. Houseboats form an indelible part of the scenery of the Dal Lake that are always ready to take tourists to a romantic and peaceful ride of the lake and soothe their nerves as the houseboat floats over the slightly rippling waters. They also offer some of the most exotic views of the splendid scenery of the Dal Lake. There are Shikaras that look like small ornate versions of the gondolas of Venice that offers ferry rides to and from the banks of the lake to the houseboats. The shores of the Lake houses the distinct Moghul monuments and the campus of the Kashmir University while the two hillocks overlooking the lake house Shankaracharya and Hari Parbat temples. The glorious Mughal gardens on its shores contribute to the beauty of the Dal Lake. Out of about five hundred gardens laid down in 16th to 17th century, only a few still survive. There have been controversies about the origin of the Dal Lake. While some geologists believe that the origins of Dal Lake lie in the Pleistocene Oligotrophic Lake that once covered the entire valley of Kashmir, others just believe it to be a flood plain lake. The floating gardens of Dal Lake are considered a beauty in themselves. One can find a number of restaurants and hotels at the lakefront that have sprung up, encouraged by the large influx of tourists here

Ancient history records mention that a village named Isabar to the east of Dal Lake was the residence of goddess Durga.[11] This place was known as Sureshwari on the bank of the lake, which was sourced by a spring called the Satadhara.[11] During the Mughal period, the Mughal rulers of India designated Kashmir, Srinagar in particular, as their summer resort.[2][12] They developed the precincts of the Dal lake in Srinagar with spawling Mughul-type gardens and pavilions as pleasure resorts to enjoy the salubrious cool climate.[2] After the death of Aurangzeb in 1707, which led to the disintegration of the Mughal Empire,[13] Pashtuntribes in the area around the lake and city area increased, and the Durrani Empire ruled the city for several decades.[14] In 1814 a significant part of the Kashmir valley, including Srinagar, was annexed by Raja Ranjit Singh to his kingdom, and the Sikhs grew in influence in the region for 27 years.[15][16]

Nishat Bagh Mughal Gardens

During the British Raj, the British also made Srinagar their capital during the summer months, attracted by the cool climate of the Kashmir valley, amidst the back drop of the majestic snow covered Himalayan ranges. The lake precincts experience temperatures in the range of 111 C (3452 F) during winter and 1230 C (54 86 F) during the summer season. The lake freezes when temperatures drop to about 11 C (12.2 F) during severe winter.[5] Although the Dogra Maharaja of Kashmir restricted the building of houses in the valley, the British circumvented this rule by commissioning lavish houseboats to be built on the Dal Lake. The houseboats have been referred to as, "each one a little piece of England afloat on Dal Lake."[2] After the independence of India, the Kashmiri Hanji people have built, owned and maintained these houseboats, cultivating floating gardens and producing commodities for the market, making them the centre of their livelihoods. The houseboats, closely associated with Dal Lake also provide accommodation in Srinagar. Following the Mughal and British rule, the place has became a haven for tourists and earned the epithet, "Jewel in the tourist crown".[17][18][19]

SIGNIFICANCE
he Dal Lake which has the length of 8 Km long and a width of 4 Km, spreads over a total of 26 Sq. Km. The fascinating Dal Lake is divided into two smaller ones the Lokut (small) and Bod (big) Dal. The south western part of the lake has a maximum depth of approximately 12 M. the Dal Lake gets some of its water from spring but is also supplemented by water from the mountain lake, Mar Sar. In the western part of the Lake one can glimpse a few islands, some bigger, some smaller. Its shores are very fertile and surrounded by willows. Potato, tomato, pumpkin, cucumber, radish and lots of other vegetables are

grown here cultivation of the floating gardens which also lie in this part of the lake is another interesting feature. These gardens consist of reed rafts of different lengths and a width of approximately one and a half by three meters and are covered by 1020 CM thick layer of earth and mud. Vegetables and melons are grown on these artificial floating islands. Dal Lake is, initially, one of the most confusing parts of Srinagar for it's not really one lake at all, but three. Further more much of it is hardly what one would expect a lake to be like - it's a maze of intricate waterways and channels, floating islands of vegetation, houseboats that look so firmly moored they could almost be islands and hotels on islands which look like they could simply float away.

The sacred Dal lake with natural water body is 11km from Lower Dharamshala connected by motorable road. It is the starting point of excursions and trekking and is located next to the Tibetan Children's village. The lake is a scenic picnic spot surrounded by the forests of Deodar. There is a temple of Durveshwar Mahadev by the side of the lake. A colourful annual fair is held every september on the ady of Radhaashtami. Dal lake is spot of religious importance, besides, a place of tourist attraction. Further, 1.5 km from Dal, is a scenic spot of Naddi offering a clear view of Kangra valley and Dhauladhar peaks. It is connected with road and is famous as sunset point. Naddi is also a staring point for trek to Kareri Lake, Guna Devi temple and Triund.

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DAL LAKE
A lake view with house boats on the lake

Photo: D.P. Zutshi

A. LOCATION
Jammu and Kashmir, India. 34:18N, 74:91E; 1,583 m above sea level.

B. DESCRIPTION
Dal is a Himalayan urban lake which is mainly used for tourism. Fishery is of secondary importance. The lake comprises five basins and a myriad of inter- connecting channels. It is one of the most beautiful lakes of India and the second largest lake in the State of Jammu and Kashmir. The lake is surrounded by mountains on its three sides. A large number of gardens and orchards have been laid along the shores. Dal Lake is unique in having hundreds of house boats which afford an opportunity to tourists to reside on the lake in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility. The boats are served by Shikaras which more or less resemble the gondolas of Venice but are smaller in size and are tastefully decorated. Besides the Moghul monuments the campus of the University of Kashmir is also located along the shores of the lake. Overlooking the lake are two hillocks which house the famous temples of Shankaracharya and Hari Parbat. A perennial inflow channel enters the lake from the north and supplies about 80% of the water. Towards the southwest side an outflow channel drains the lake water into a tributary of the River Jhelum. Parallel to this exit is a stone-lined canal which connects the lake with the tributary. This channel is used for movement of boats in and out of the lake and prevents inundation of floating gardens during high floods.

The famous Moghul gardens around the lake have been laid during 16-17th century and their number was about five hundred but now only a few of these have survived. The origin of the lake has remained unresolved. It is believed by some geologists that the Dal Lake is the remnant of a Pleistocene oligotrophic lake which once covered the entire valley of Kashmir. There are other geologists who believe Dal to be a flood plain lake. The lake water is being used for irrigation of vegetable fields which have grown in number and extent during recent years. The present maximum depth of the lake is 6 m (Nagin basin). Many aquatic plants growing in the lake are used as food, fodder and compost. The water quality of Dal Lake has deteriorated considerably in the last two decades. Large peripheral areas have been reclaimed and converted into floating gardens. With the increase in the tourist influx a large number of residential buildings, restaurants and hotels have come up along the lake front. The number of house boats has also been increasing at an alarming rate. As a result of rapid and unplanned urbanization, large quantities of raw sewage are discharged in the lake water, which might pose health problems in the near future. The main environmental issues are excessive weed growth, reduction in water clarity, enrichment of waters and high microbial activity. A Dal Development Project was formulated in 1978 and the State Government of Jammu and Kashmir adopted it with some modifications. The main thrust of the project is to improve the lake environment by using both physical and biological approaches. The work is in progress (Q).

C. PHYSICAL DIMENSIONS (Q)

Surface area [km2] Volume [km3] Maximum depth [m] Mean depth [m] Water level Normal range of annual water level fluctuation [m] Length of shoreline [km] Catchment area [km2] *1 Including Floating Gardens. *2 Nagin Basin. 21*1 0.00983 6 1.4*2 Regulated 0.7 15.5 316

D. PHYSIOGRAPHIC FEATURES (Q)

D1 GEOGRAPHICAL
Sketch map: Fig. ASI-38-01. Bathymetric map: Fig. ASI-38-02. Names of main islands: Sona Lank and Rupa Lank. Number of outflowing rivers and channels (name) 2 (Dal Gate and Nalla Amir Khan).

D2 CLIMATIC
Climatic data at Srinagar, 1977 Jan Mean temp. [deg C] 0 Feb 3 9 Mar Apr 14 May 18 Jun 22 Jul 24 Aug 23 Sep 20 Oct 14 Nov 3 Dec 5 Ann.

Precipitation [mm]

70

75

92

90

60

36

55

62

40

26

11

38

655

Fig. ASI-38-01 Sketch map.

Fig. ASI-38-02 Bathymetric map. Water temperature [deg C] Hazratbal, 1983-1984

Depth [m] 0 3

Jan 6

Feb

Mar 19

Apr 21

May 23

Jun 26

Jul 25

Aug 24

Sep 21

Oct 15 9

Nov 7

Dec

Freezing period: January (only during severe winters). Mixing type: Polymictic. Notes on water mixing and thermocline formation@ Thermocline has been observed in Nagin basin.

E. LAKE WATER QUALITY (Q)

E1 TRANSPARENCY [m]
Hazratbal, 1983-1984 Depth [m] Jan 0.89 Feb 0.95 Mar 0.53 Apr 0.95 May 1.8 Jun 1.9 Jul 1.95 Aug 1.5 Sep 1.3 Oct 1.1 Nov 1.0 Dec 0.98

E2 pH
Hazratbal, 1983-1984 Depth [m] 0 Jan 9.8
-1

Feb 8.0

Mar 8.4

Apr 7.3

May 8.2

Jun 7.3

Jul 8.4

Aug 7.8

Sep 7.2

Oct 8.6

Nov 7.7

Dec 9.4

E4 DO [mg l ]
Hazratbal, 1983-1984 Depth [m] 0 Jan 4.4 Feb 7.8 Mar 3.6 Apr 4.0 May 5.6 Jun 6.4 Jul 4.8 Aug 1.4 Sep 9.6 Oct 12.3 Nov 10.2 Dec

E5 COD [mg l-1]

Hazratbal, 1983-1984 Depth [m] 0 Jan 4.7

Determined by KMnO4 method.

Feb 0.9

Mar 0.52

Apr 0.43

May 1.48

Jun 4.2

Jul 5.0

Aug 2.3

Sep 1.5

Oct 2.0

Nov 2.0

Dec 0.28

E7 NITROGEN CONCENTRATION

NO3-N [micro l-1] Hazratbal, 1983-1984 Depth [m] 0 Jan 175 Feb 73 Mar 73 Apr 80 May 380 Jun 22 Jul 1315 Aug 95 Sep 94 Oct 88 Nov 219 Dec 285

E8 PHOSPHORUS CONCENTRATION

Total-P [micro l-1] Hazratbal, 1983-1984 Depth [m] Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

104

69

81

46

138

35

577

138

69

58

162

46

E10 PAST TRENDS

Hazratbal 1965-1966 pH PO4-P [micro l-1] NO3-N [micro l-1] NH4-N [micro l-1] 7.9 20 105 250 8.6 92.6 556 730 1980-1981 8.8 115 780 850 1983-1984

F. BIOLOGICAL FEATURES (Q)

F1 FLORA

Emerged macrophytes: Typha angustifolia, Phragmites australis. Floating macrophytes: Salvinia natans, Hydrocharis dubia, Nymphoides peltata, Nymphaeasp., Nelumbo nucifela, Potamogeton natans. Submerged macrophytes: Myriophyllum spicatum, Ceratophyllum demersum, Potamogeton crispus, P. lucens. Phytoplankton: Navicula radiosa, Nitzschia accicularis, Fragilaria crotonensis, Diatoma elongatum, Scenedesmus bijuga, Pediastrum duplex, Tetraedron minimum, Microcystis aeruginosa, Merismopedia elegans.

F2 FAUNA

Zooplankton: Keratella cochlearis, K. serrulata, Polyarthra vulgaris, Brachionus plicatilis, Monostyla bulla, Alona monocantha, Cyclops ladakanus, Mesocyclops leukarti. Benthos: Chironomus sp., Tubifex sp. Fish: Cyprinus carpio specularis*, C. carpio communis, Schizothorax niger, S. esocinus, S. curviformis, Crossochelius latius. * Economically important. Supplementary notes on the biota: Cyprinus which was introduced in the lake during early sixties has become dominant and the indigenous species Schizothorax is gradually declining in number.

F3 PRIMARY PRODUCTION RATE [mg C m-3 day-1]

Hazratbal, 1981 Jan Feb Mar Apr May 22.2 Jun 89.8 Jul 253.4 Aug 194.2

Sep 145.4

Oct 57.4 -

Nov -

Dec

Nagin, 1981 Jan Feb Mar Apr May 262.8 Jun 593.4 Jul 281.4 Aug 348.2 Sep 370.2 Oct 393.0 Nov Dec

F4 BIOMASS*
Macrophyte [ha] Coverage [%] [g m-2 day-1] Organic matter production [t ha-1 yr-1]

Helophytes Floating forms Submerged

50 280 680

5 25-30 55-65

10.5-15.0 1.24-5.4 0.77-2.4

27.6 8.81 4.62

* And primary production.

F7 NOTES ON THE REMARKABLE CHANGES OF BIOTA IN THE LAKE IN RECENT YEARS

Reduction in the number of Chara species since 1934. Increase in the area covered by Salvinia since 1937. Tendency to develop monospecific communities of submerged macrophytes, e.g.Ceratophyllum and Myriophyllum.

G. SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS (Q)

G1 LAND USE IN THE CATCHMENT AREA
1985 Area [km2] Natural landscape - Woody vegetation 103.00 37.4 - Scrub 36.26 13.2 Agricultural land - Crop field 66.52 24.2 - Pasture land 31.25 11.4 Residential area 31.89 11.6 Horticulture 6.28 2.3 Total 275.20 100 Main types of woody vegetation: Melia, Ailanthus, Robinia, Daphne, Celtis, Rosa, Ephedra. Types of the other important vegetation: Introduced trees (Pinus roxburghii, P. halepensis, P. gerardiana, Cupressus torrulosa, C. arizonica). [%]

Main kinds of crops: Rice, wheat, brassica. Levels of fertilizer application on crop fields: Moderate. Trends of change in land use Agricultural land being converted into settlement area. Construction of residential and commercial buildings. Some crop land being brought under horticulture.

G3 POPULATION IN THE CATCHMENT AREA

1977 Population Urban Rural Total 137,000 54,000 191,000 604 Population density [km-2] Major cities (population)

H. LAKE UTILIZATION (Q)

H1 LAKE UTILIZATION
Source of water, sightseeing and tourism, recreation (swimming), fisheries and harvesting of food and fodder plants.

I. DETERIORATION OF LAKE ENVIRONMENTS AND HAZARDS (Q)

I1 ENHANCED SILTATION
Extent of damage: Serious. Supplementary notes The total volume of settled silt deposited in Dal Lake in 1976 through inflow Channel Telbal was 36,200 m3. This represents an area of 3.6 ha with a depth of 1 m.

I3 EUTROPHICATION

1977 Sources T-N T-P Industrial Domestic Agricultural Natural Total 634 46.3 Nuisance caused by eutrophication: Excessive weed growth. Nitrogen and phosphorus loadings to the lake [t yr-1]

0 359 275 0 0 39.9 6.4 0 Supplementary notes Over the years as a result of urbanization and tourist influx the lake is getting rapidly eutrophied. The measures that are being implemented for rehabilitation include mechanical harvesting of weeds, removal of barricades to facilitate water circulation, moratorium on house boat construction and control on unlawful encroachments.

J. WASTEWATER TREATMENTS (Q)

J1 GENERATION OF POLLUTANTS IN THE CATCHMENT AREA
e) Severe pollution with no wastewater treatment. Human wastes and kitchen refuse are released from house boats into the lake water without any treatment.

J2 APPROXIMATE PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION OF POLLUTANT LOADS

[%] Non-point Sources Point sources House boats and hotels Total 55 25 20 100

J3 SANITARY FACILITIES AND SEWERAGE

: None.

K. IMPROVEMENT WORKS IN THE LAKE (Q)

Kl RESTORATION
Construction of siltation tank, mechanical deweeding, regrouping of house boats, deepening of outflow channel, etc.; part of the work is in progress. Removal of bunds and barricades including some floating gardens; part of the work has been already done.

K3 OTHERS
Moratorium on new construction works close to lake front, no new house boats to be added to the lake, and shifting of population from the lake front.

L. DEVELOPMENT PLANS (Q)

Reafforestation of catchment area to reduce movement of silt and erosion, control of grazing, and construction of bunds and pedestrian mall to stop further ingression on lake area (some work has already been done). These plans are to be executed in the near future. They have already been recommended for implementation. There is plan for sewage treatment also.

M. LEGISLATIVE AND INSTITUTIONAL MEASURES FOR UPGRADING LAKE ENVIRONMENTS (Q)

M1 NATIONAL AND LOCAL LAWS CONCERNED
Names of the laws (the year of legislation) 1. The Environment Protection Act (1986) Responsible authorities 1. The Government of India

Main items of control Planning execution of a nation-wide programme for the prevention, control and abatement of environmental pollution. Laying down standards for the quality of environment and its various aspects. Examination of such manufacturing processes, materials and substances which are likely to cause environmental pollution. Supplementary notes Inspection of any premise, equipment,machinery, manufacturing or other processes, materials or substances and giving, by order, of such directions to such authorities, officers or persons as it may consider necessary to take steps for the prevention, control and abatement of environmental pollution.

M2 INSTITUTIONAL MEASURES
1. Urban Environment Engineering Department, Jammu and Kashmir Government 2. Department of Environment, Ecology, Science and Technology, Jammu and Kashmir Governments

M3 RESEARCH INSTITUTES ENGAGED IN THE LAKE ENVIRONMENT STUDIES

Centre of Research for Development, University of Kashmir

N. SOURCES OF DATA
Questionnaire filled by Prof. D. P. Zutshi, Centre of Research for Development, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, India.

1. Vass, J. K. & Zutshi, D. P. (1979) J. Inld, Fish. Soc., 11: 12-21. 2. Zutshi, D. P. & Vass, K. K. (1978) Indian J. Ecol., 5: 90-97. 3. Zutshi, D. P. & Vass, K. K. (1982) Proc. Indian Natn. Sci. Acad. B., 48: 234-241. 4. Vass, K. K. & Zutshi, D. P.(1983) Arch. Hydrobiol., 97: 39-59. 5. Zutshi, D. P. (1987) Impact of human activities on the evolution of Dal Lake environment.
In: Pangtey, Y. P. S. and Joshi, S. C. (eds.) Western Himalaya: Environment, Problems and Development, pp. 565-577. Nainital, India. prepared for the Common wealth Fund for Technical Cooperation by Enex of New Zealand Inc.

6. Enex (1978) Study of the Pollution of Dal Lake, Srinagar, Kashmir, India. A report

7. Urfi, S. (1985) Physical, Chemical and Trace Metal Analysis of Dal Lake. M. Phil
dissertation of Kashmir University. 87 pp. (unpublished). top

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Kashmir Valley is blessed with immense natural beauty and the lakes in the state contribute a lot to its intrinsic beauty. Dal Lake is one of the most favourite tourist destinations in the north Indian State of Jammu & Kashmir. Set amidst the splendid Mother Nature, the Dal Lake has an ecological and socio-economic significance in the lifestyle of Kashmir. The lake has a rich eco-system and the beauty and charm it bears draws a large number of tourists from all over. This most beautiful lake of India is the second largest in the state of J&K. Majestic mountains and a large number of gardens surround its three sides and orchards have been laid along the shores. The University of Kashmir campus also lies by the shores of the lake. The lake has hundreds of houseboats both in the simple and decorated category, which are the best options by to reside on the lake in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility.

Nearby Highlights
The surroundings areas of the Dal Lake are dotted with houses with sloping roofs on islands and the rest of the areas are dominated by lush green gardens. Furthermore, houseboats, houses and vegetation come across your eyes, as you move forward two huge expanses of water, the Bod Dal & Lokut Dal comes to your view.

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Leading from the Dal Lake is the smaller Nagin Lake. Here, the waters are edged by trees of willow and poplar whose reflection is mirrored in the lake. The waters of the

lakes are pleasantly cool from mid-May to mid-September. Nagin Lake, which is farther from town, have magnificent views of the mountains. Salesmen paddle from boat to boat, selling everything you could want such as cold drinks, fruit, nuts, fresh flowers, film, baked goods, papier-mache boxes, woolen shawls, silk carpets, leather goods, money-changing services and on and on. The gentle soothing motion of the boat, as it glides along the water of these lakes, is unbelievably romantic. Dal is a Himalayan urban lake, which is mainly used for tourism. Fishery is of secondary importance. The lake comprises five basins and a myriad of inter- connecting channels. It is one of the most beautiful lakes of India and the second largest lake in the State of Jammu and Kashmir. The lake is surrounded by mountains on its three sides. A large number of gardens and orchards have been laid along the shores. Dal Lake is unique in having hundreds of house boats which afford an opportunity to tourists to reside on the lake in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility. The boats are served by Shikaras which more or less resemble the gondolas of Venice but are smaller in size and are tastefully decorated. Besides the Moghul monuments the campus of the University of Kashmir is also located along the shores of the lake. Overlooking the lake are two hillocks which house the famous temples of Shankaracharya and Hari Parbat. A perennial inflow channel enters the lake from the north and supplies about 80% of the water. Towards the southwest side an outflow channel drains the lake water into a tributary of the River Jhelum. Parallel to this exit is a stone-lined canal which connects the lake with the tributary. This channel is used for movement of boats in and out of the lake and prevents inundation of floating gardens during high floods. The famous Moghul gardens around the lake have been laid during 16-17th century and their number was about five hundred but now only a few of these have survived. The origin of the lake has remained unresolved. Some geologists believe that the Dal Lake is the remnant of a Pleistocene oligotrophic lake which once covered the entire valley of Kashmir. There are other geologists who believe Dal to be a flood plain lake.

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The lake water is being used for irrigation of vegetable fields which have grown in number and extent during recent years. The present maximum depth of the lake is 6 m (Nagin basin). Many aquatic plants growing in the lake are used as food, fodder and compost. The water quality of Dal Lake has deteriorated considerably in the last two decades. Large peripheral areas have been reclaimed and converted into floating gardens. With the increase in the tourist influx a large number of residential buildings, restaurants and hotels have come up along the lake front. The number of house boats has also been increasing at an alarming rate. As a result of rapid and unplanned urbanization, large quantities of raw sewage are discharged in the lake water, which might pose health problems in the near future. The main environmental issues are excessive weed growth, reduction in water clarity, enrichment of waters and high microbial activity. A Dal Development Project was formulated in 1978 and the State Government of Jammu and Kashmir adopted it with some modifications. The main thrust of the project is to improve the lake environment by using both physical and biological approaches. The work is in progress.

environmental issues/remedial measures

The lake is warm monomictic (mixing type) and the pH value recorded has varied from a minimum of 7.2 to a maximum of 8.8 on the surface over a yearly period. [4] The Dissolved oxygen [mg l1] value has varied from a minimum of 1.4 to a maximum of 12.3 on the surface within a year. The Recorded maximum nitrogen concentration (NH4-N [micro l1] has been recorded as 1315 on the surface and 22 at the bottom of the lake.[4] Phosphorus concentration expressed in Total-P [micro l1] has varied from a high of 577 to a low of 35 during the 12 months of the year.[4] The lake water temperature has varied from a minimum of 3 C (37 F) in January to 26 C (79 F) in June at the surface. Transparency, expressed as depth in metres, has varied from a maximum of 1.95 metres (6.4 ft) in July to a minimum of 0.53 metres (1.7 ft) in March, over the 12 months period.[4] Studies of the water quality of the lake in 198384 indicate a decline in quality since the 196566 analysis.[4] Scientific research over the years also reveal that Telbal, Botkal, and sewage drains are responsible for a substantial influx of nitrogen and phosphorus into the lake. Quantitatively, fifteen drains and several other sources have released a total of 156.62 tonnes (56.36 tonnes by drains alone) of phosphorus, and 241.18 tonnes of inorganic nitrogen into the lake from a discharge of 11.701 MCM /year.[31] Non-point sources, such as seepage and diffused runoff, also add to this pollution and have been recorded as further adding 4.5 tonnes of total phosphates and 18.14 tonnes of nitrogen (NO3N and NH4N) to the lake. [31] Based on the values mentioned above, it has been inferred that the water quality of the lake has deteriorated.

Panoramic view of the Dal Lake

The major environmental problem facing the lake is eutrophication, which has required immediate remedial measures to combat it. Alarmingly, the size of the lake has shrunk from its original area of 22 square kilometres (8.5 sq mi) to the present

area of 18 square kilometres (6.9 sq mi), and there is a concerning rate of sediment deposition due to catchment area degradation.[4] The water quality has also deteriorated due to intense pollution caused by the untreated sewage and solid waste that is fed into the lake from the peripheral areas and from the settlements and houseboats. Encroachments of water channels and consequent clogging has diminished the circulation and inflows into the lake, so with the building up of phosphates and nitrogen, this has led to extensive weed growth and consequences on the biodiversity of the lake.[4][6] [edit]Public

Interest Litigations and restoration works

Identifying the above major issues as causes for the deterioration of the lake, a multidisciplinary team of experts have prepared a Detailed Project Report (DPR), a responsible management plan entitled "Conservation and Management of Dal Lake", which has the objective of achieving environment compatibility, cost effectiveness and sustainability, ecological improvement with minimum interventions and displacement and balancing the conflicts of interest. This plan is now under implementation with the financial assistance of the Government of India.[4][6] The serious nature of the environmental problems the lake has been experienced has been widely publicised and has been brought to the attention of the Supreme Court of India. Public Interest Litigations (PILs) have been filed in court demonstrating the environmental dangers posed to the lake by sewage, wastes and effluents. The PILs have sought injunctions of the court for setting up of an integrated ring sewage system encircling the Lake; release of funds by the Government of India to undertake measures to check pollution and to inaugurate a High Powered Committee to monitor proper utilisation of the allotted funds. The committee is under obligation to post feedback of progression developments from time to time, directly to the Supreme Court. The PIL, filed in 2001, has resulted in a number of directives from the court to the funding and implementing agencies and the case is continuing. Consequently, under the National Lake Conservation Plan of the Ministry of Environment and Forests of the Government of India, funds to the extent Rs 298.76 crore were sanctioned in September 2005 for the conservation of the lake.[9]The restoration and rehabilitation measures envisaged under the "Conservation and Management of Dal Lake" are under various stages of implementation with the funds allocated by the Government of India for the purpose. Some of the measures undertaken for rehabilitating the lake to bring it to its original eutrophication free status involved measures such as construction of siltation tanks,

mechanical deweeding, regrouping of houseboats, deepening of outflow channel and removal of bunds and barricades, including some floating gardens.[4] In addition, a moratorium has been imposed on new construction works close to the lakefront, including the building of new house boats. Resettlement plans for migrating the population from the lakefront have also evolved.[4] The long-term development plans also deal with the reafforestation of catchment area to reduce erosion movement and movement of silt and to regulate grazing by livestock. Recent reports indicate that, as of 2010, 40% of the measures have been implemented.[8]

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plays an important role but memories of what is taught in early childhood remain as everlasting value for the rest of our lives. If we want our KASHEER to live it has to live in our generations to come and that would be possible if we sow the seeds of progress, love and peace in the tender hearts now........ Ae watan mere watan rooh-e-rawaani-ehra ae' ke zarroo mein tere boo-e-chanman-rang-e-bahaar rez-e-alwaas ke tere khaso-khaashaaq mein hai haddiyaan apne buzurgon ki teri khaak mein hai tujhse mooh modke mooh apna dikhaayenge kahan ghar jo chodenge to fir chaawni chaayenge kahan bazm-e-agiyaar mein aaraam ye paayenge kahan tujhse hum ruthke jaayenge to jaayenge kahan ..... :( over a year ago