In a unified effort to protect Wular Lake, one of Asia’s largest freshwater bodies, four prominent lawmakers from Kashmir joined local stakeholders and the fishing community on Sunday to stress the urgency of its conservation.
The gathering, organized by the Wular Fishermen Union, took place in Zurimanz village on the lake’s banks, highlighting the escalating environmental degradation that threatens the lake’s existence.
The delegation included senior Congress leader and MLA Bandipora, Nizamuddin Bhat; National Conference MLAs Hilal Akbar Lone (Sonawari) and Irshad Rasool Kar (Sopore); and MLA Kreeri, Irfan Hafeez Lone.
Together with union members, fishermen, and concerned residents, they discussed the lake’s declining health and its impact on local livelihoods, primarily fishing and tourism.
In a symbolic gesture, MLAs Bhat and Lone took a boat ride from Laharwalpora to Zurimanz to illustrate Wular Lake’s deteriorating condition. Once spanning 217 square kilometers, the lake has drastically shrunk due to encroachment, pollution, and unchecked deforestation, leading to a steep decline in water quality and biodiversity.
These environmental changes have severely affected the local economy, which heavily relies on the lake.
While the Wular Conservation and Management Authority (WUCMA) has been working on restoration efforts like desilting, the lawmakers emphasized that the challenges are too large for WUCMA alone to handle. They called for coordinated efforts involving local communities, government agencies, environmental experts, and NGOs to formulate a comprehensive conservation plan.
The absence of the Bandipora district administration at the event did not go unnoticed.
Despite being invited, officials, including the Deputy Commissioner, were not present, leading to disappointment among the participants.
Several attendees expressed frustration, arguing that without the active involvement of the administration, meaningful progress in restoring Wular Lake would be difficult to achieve.
Responding to the criticism, Bandipora’s Deputy Commissioner Manzoor Ahmad Qadri later clarified that no formal invitation had been received by the district administration, noting that the event was privately organized by MLA Nizamuddin Bhat.
Despite the misunderstanding, the administration reaffirmed its commitment to support environmental and community-based initiatives.
As efforts to preserve Wular Lake continue, the need for an organized and multi-stakeholder approach is evident.
The lawmakers urged district authorities to take a more active role in future conservation efforts and ensure greater accountability in addressing the pressing environmental concerns affecting Wular Lake and its surrounding communities.