Shrinking lakes of Jammu pose threat to environment
June 15th, 2010 - 9:06 pm ICT by ANIZCZC
ANI 0186 (Feature)
By Taheer Nadeem Khan
Mansar, Samba, June 15 (ANI): Mansar and Saruinsar lakes in Jammu have the potential to become a major tourist destination and can draw over a thousand tourists every day.
The lakes, however, need to be conserved. They are the source of water for dinking purposes for the neighborhood villages.
The Public Health Engineering department, is seized of the problem and is exploring the possibilities of finding borewells.
These picturesque water bodies in the midst of hills covered by green forests, are gradually shrinking.
The water drawn from the lakes is supplied to 56 villages nearby. Nearly 75,000 gallons of water from the two water bodies is pumped out daily by the Public Health Engineering department to supply water to some villages and hamlets and general public for construction and irrigation purposes.
All this has led to declining water-level and a large portion of the lake- bed is turning dry.
Also, a large number of the rare turtles and fish species have started dying.
“The lake is home to several birds and animals. And if the water is lifted at this rate then the lake will soon become a small pond,” says Gyan Singh, a local resident. Mansar is a holy site and shares the sanctity of Mansa Sarovar.
Visitors feed fish as it is considered very sacred here. But lowering of water-level is harming aquatic life in the lakes.
“Water is an important element for a picnic-spot. People come from as far as 70 km to 80 km only to see the Mansar Lake. If the water level of the lake drops, then the main feature will die and therefore, the number of tourists coming here will also decrease, affecting the local economy,” said Sharad Kumar, a Varanasi tourist.
Authorities claim that a comprehensive plan to save these two lakes is underway. People hope these plans do not remain on paper only. (ANI)
- Water pond built under NREGA, a relief for Marna villagers - Apr 24, 2010
- Algae-eating fish to clean up Chinese lake - Jan 05, 2012
- Water crisis triggers violent protest in Mumbai - Feb 14, 2010
- Chandigarh to spruce up Sukhna Lake to attract tourists - Jan 31, 2011
- 78,000 tonnes of garbage collected from Three Gorges Dam - Dec 12, 2010
- Sachin Tendulkar bats for conserving water - Feb 21, 2010
- When it's about drinking water, Maoists help government - Mar 11, 2012
- The disappearing ponds of Kashmir - Mar 13, 2012
- Defence shipyard eyeing markets in Middle East, Africa - Aug 24, 2011
- Drought stalks China's food bowl - May 17, 2011
- Floods trigger epidemic fears in Meghalaya - Aug 22, 2011
- Swiss made Truxor machines set to clean Dal Lake - Jul 22, 2010
- Geoscientists resolve water crisis in villages in Aurangabad District - May 10, 2010
- Propelled by shutdowns, Kashmiris 'fish' for pastime at Dal (Feature)(With Images) - Mar 07, 2012
- Several villages cut off in Punjab's Mansa district - Jul 13, 2010
Tags: aquatic life, engineering department, feed fish, fish species, green forests, gyan singh, hamlets, irrigation purposes, lakes water, large portion, nadeem khan, picnic spot, picturesque water, public health engineering, small pond, source of water, tourist authorities, tourist destination, water bodies, water level