Time for strict crackdown

Jammu and Kashmir, blessed with pristine lakes, rivers and wetlands, is witnessing a slow but dangerous assault on its most valuable natural assets i.e. its water bodies. Encroachments along lakes, streams and wetlands have become rampant, threatening ecological balance, obstructing natural water flow and endangering lives through increased flood risks. The time for leniency has passed. What is now required is a strict, sustained, and apolitical crackdown on all illegal encroachments, be they residential, commercial or institutional, around water bodies across the Union Territory. Be it the iconic Dal and Wular Lakes in Kashmir or the Tawi and Devika rivers in Jammu, many water bodies are shrinking due to unregulated construction, illegal dumping, and land grabbing. These not only degrade the environment but also disrupt the livelihoods of communities that depend on these ecosystems. Inaction or selective enforcement emboldens violators and weakens public trust in the administration. The government must send a clear message: encroachment on water bodies will not be tolerated, regardless of the violator’s social or political standing. Steps must include immediate identification and demarcation of all water body boundaries, transparent eviction drives with legal backing, restoration of encroached land through afforestation and ecological rehabilitation and active involvement of local communities and urban planners. Moreover, strengthening laws and enhancing surveillance using satellite imagery and drone mapping can ensure long-term protection. Saving the water bodies is not just an environmental concern but about safeguarding the future of Jammu and Kashmir. The cost of inaction will be irreversible. A crackdown is not cruelty but accountability; therefore, it is time to act decisively.