Failing on pollution control
The attention that the famed Dal Lake should have got from the government and its various agencies to control the pollution levels that are threatening its very existence have been raising eye brows once again.
Just two days back the Jammu and High Court has directed Tourism department to install mini STP near Nehru Park following J&K Pollution Control Board’s report that the water quality of Dal Lake on two vital parameters— the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and the Dissolved Oxygen (DO)—has deteriorated near the point as well as at the Water Channel gate of the Royal Golf Spring Course.
Hearing a PIL, a division bench directed the Department of Tourism to take steps to ensure that the directions for setting of the mini STP, issued actually by the PCB, are complied with.
The court’s direction followed perusal of a report filed by M. Maqbool Shah, Nodal Officer, PCB, that the samples collected at the Island Park (Nehru Park) exit point shows that the water quality does not conform to the Class B Water quality criteria in respect of two vital parameters—BOD and DO.
The Dal Lake is dying and it is not encroachments that are killing the lake but an unresponsive and callous administration which is not doing its job to help maintain the quality of water in the lake.
The negligence shown by the administration and the department of Lakes and Waterways has resulted in the waters turning so polluted that it can spell death for the lake within few decades.
Notably, a Committee of Experts, constituted by the Jammu and Kashmir High Court earlier had also found Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) heavily over-utilized and under-maintained and their effluent far below the required standards as laid down in the Central Pollution Control Board norms.
After the unabated flow of sewage into the Dal Lake which drastically affected the flora and fauna of this water body, the J&K Government had decided to construct STPs around the lake to save it from further deterioration. This happened in the year 2000 and since then the sewage is pumped into the lake via these STP’s.
Presently, three STPs are functioning under the control of LAWDA and they are located at Lamb—4.5 MLD, Habak—3.5 MLD and Hazratbal—7.5 MLD.
However, what is appalling to note is that about 70% of the sewage generated in Srinagar City finds its way into the Lake. The three STPs functioning under the control of LAWDA are heavily over-utilized and under-maintained. The effluent generated by these STP’s is far below the required standards as laid down in the CPCB norms.
What is more ironic is that none of the STPs are conducting any tests as regards the treated effluents, notwithstanding the fact that it is a statutory requirement that each STP should test the treated effluent quality before being released into the lake.
The Dal Lake is an icon for Kashmir. The famed lake is thronged by tourists and the same lake attracts them in hoards every year. The significance and the impact this Lake has on the local economy too cannot be ignored.
KV Network
