Vanishing Lakes of Jammu & Kashmir: Ecological Collapse in Paradise?
For centuries, the lakes and wetlands of Jammu and Kashmir have defined the ecological identity, economy, and cultural soul of the Kashmir Valley. From the shimmering waters of Dal Lake to the vast floodplains of Wular Lake, these water bodies have sustained biodiversity, livelihoods, agriculture, tourism, and climate resilience for centuries. Yet today, this fragile ecosystem stands at the brink of collapse. Over the past several decades, Kashmir’s lakes and wetlands have experienced alarming shrinkage due to urban encroachment, pollution, siltation, climate change, and administrative neglect. According to a recent CAG audit, nearly half of the region’s lakes have already disappeared since 1967, while almost three-fourths have either shrunk or degraded. In a Himalayan ecosystem already vulnerable to climate change, the vanishing lakes of Kashmir represent one of India’s gravest yet under-discussed environmental emergencies.” This is not merely an environmental concern. The degrada...