SRINAGAR: In a major environmental concern, 315 out of 697 lakes in Jammu and Kashmir have disappeared since 1967, resulting in the loss of 2,851.26 hectares of water area over nearly six decades, according to a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India.
The report states that Jammu and Kashmir originally had 697 lakes, including 367 in the Jammu region and 330 in the Kashmir Valley. Of these, 315 lakes, 259 in Jammu and 56 in Kashmir, have vanished, causing a loss of 1,537.07 hectares of water area.
The CAG report further notes that of the 315 lakes that disappeared, 80 (25%) were under the Forest Department, while 235 (75%) fell under the jurisdiction of the Revenue and Agriculture Departments.
In addition, 203 lakes in Jammu and Kashmir, including 144 in Kashmir and 59 in Jammu, have experienced a decrease in area. These lakes collectively shrank from 8,566.55 hectares in 1967 to 7,252.36 hectares in 2020, a loss of 1,314.19 hectares. Of these, 63 lakes have seen a reduction of 50% or more, placing them at heightened risk of extinction.
Conversely, 150 lakes, including 104 in Kashmir and 46 in Jammu, saw an increase in area by 538.22 hectares, while 29 lakes remained unchanged.
The report highlights that the shrinkage and disappearance of lakes have led to losses in flora and fauna, as well as other ecosystem services. According to the CAG, changes in 518 lakes (74% of total) have contributed to ecosystem degradation, loss of water, food, and biodiversity, disruption of carbon, nutrient, and water cycles, and climate insecurity.
The report also links lake shrinkage to extreme flooding, noting that reduced lake areas contributed to the massive floods in Jammu and Kashmir in September 2014. “Research conducted by scholars from various institutions at State/UT and National level had also attributed causes of floods to change in land use of lakes,” it said.