SHAKEELA ANDRABI
SRINAGAR: The unabated encroachment on lagoon and inordinate delay in the conservation of water body is severely affecting fragile ecosystem. Once known for crystal clear waters, presently, Brari Nambal is just heaps of garbage and weeds. In absence of conservation measures, the lagoon is on verge of extinction with unabated pollution and extensive encroachments. Baba Demb area remained in news for illegal dumping and filling of Brari Nambal lagoon and construction of illegal structures, for years.
According to experts, lagoon is dying silently as encroachments and illegal constructions continued unabated. STATE TIMES Correspondent carried out multiple visits to the area to assess the current situation and found that scores of kiosks had come up, where both locals and non-locals were putting up and indulged in commercial activities. It was found that dumping of material in the lagoon was going on under the nose of the authorities.
With the civil society and the stakeholders raising concern over the dying water bodies and wetlands in Kashmir region, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, P K Pole said that the government was adopting a ‘multipronged strategy’ to revive Brari Nambal lagoon to its pristine glory. “Government has kept around Rs 40 crore budget to uplift this dying water body,” he said. “We are having consultative meetings with stakeholders and a roadmap is being devised to start work on the plan. The Divisional Commissioner urged people of the area to come forward and help administration in executing the much-needed work.
“To revive any vital water body, people’s participation and their active role is important,” he said. “Brari Nambal lagoon has been left unattended and people also have shown an adverse role. So, the time has come when a strategy is to be developed to get this important water body back to its pristine glory.”
Brari Nambal is considered to be ecologically important as it helps regulate the hydrology of Dal Lake by releasing its surplus waters into River Jhelum via a conduit at Fateh Kadal. Before 1970, Brari Nambal had two outlets, one on the west side and the other on the north from Nallah Maar. During 1970s, Nallah Mar was earth-filled and converted into a road, severely affecting water body’s hydrology through loss of flushing capacity. Now, weeds have engulfed a large part of Brari Nambal waters. Locals said that despite many anti-encroachment drives, illegal dwellings were coming up in the area affecting ecological balance as well. There have been many drives against the encroachment but still one can see the area dotted with these structures used for various purposes.
Earlier this year, Enforcement Wing of the Lake Conservation and Management Authority (LCMA) launched a spontaneous demolition drive in Baba Demb. During the drive, many tin sheds and wooden structures were demolished. However, the ground visits carried out by Correspondent revealed that the area is still dotted with countless tin sheds and wooden structures. Due to the immense ecological importance of Brari Nambal, its restoration is a litmus test for the government. Officials of Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) said that Brari Nambal area comes under the jurisdiction of LCMA. He said the adjacent area that comes under their jurisdiction was being looked into properly and anti-encroachment drives were also carried out repeatedly. VC LCMA informed that they were continuously carrying out anti-encroachment drives to ensure that no structure was set up in the area. We don’t have jurisdiction over the full area of Brari Nambal. However, we are looking into the area under our jurisdiction. In the recent anti-encroachment drives we dismantled many structures in the area, he added.
