Environment Committee reviews Anchar Lake conservation, inspects SKIMS waste management

Srinagar, Oct 15: The Committee on Environment of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, under the Chairmanship of MLA Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, Thursday conducted an extensive visit to Anchar Lake and its adjoining areas to assess the measures being undertaken by the Government for conservation, restoration and pollution control of the lake besides identifying further interventions required for its effective protection and sustainable management.
Members of the Committee, including MLAs Daleep Singh Parihar, Showkat Hussain Ganie, Javaid Ahmad Mirchal, Dr. Sajjad Shafi, Salman Sagar and Javaid Reyaz Bedar besides MLA Mubarak Gul, accompanied the Chairman during the visit.
During the inspection, the Committee expressed serious concern over the rampant encroachments in and around Anchar Lake. It said that immediate and effective measures shall be taken for removal of illegal encroachments and retrieval of encroached land in accordance with the law. The Committee stressed that any further encroachment on the lake and its adjoining areas must be prevented through stringent enforcement, regular monitoring and coordinated action by the concerned departments.
The Chairman directed the Vice-Chairman, Lakes Conservation and Management Authority (LCMA), to furnish a detailed report on the nature and extent of illegal encroachments around Anchar Lake, the status of land retrieval and the action taken against the violators. He also called for clear timelines and an account of the measures proposed to prevent fresh encroachments and ensure strict compliance with the applicable environmental and land protection regulations.
Expressing concern over the deteriorating ecological condition of the lake, the Chairman observed that Anchar Lake is facing serious environmental challenges due to encroachment, pollution, siltation and other anthropogenic pressures. He emphasised that the protection and restoration of the lake require sustained institutional efforts, effective implementation of environmental safeguards and close coordination among all concerned departments.
He underscored the need for a comprehensive and time-bound conservation strategy, encompassing the prevention of untreated sewage and waste discharge, scientific desiltation wherever required, restoration of the lake’s natural water channels, protection of its catchment areas and regular monitoring of water quality. He stressed that all interventions must be guided by scientific assessments and ecological considerations to ensure the long-term sustainability of the lake.
The Chairman also emphasised that the preservation of Anchar Lake is a shared responsibility of the government and the public. He called for greater community participation, public awareness and strict adherence to environmental norms while urging the concerned authorities to adopt a proactive approach towards safeguarding the lake from further degradation.
As part of the visit, the Committee also inspected Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) to assess the concerns regarding the management and disposal of hospital waste and its potential impact on Anchar Lake. The Committee stressed that biomedical waste and other hospital effluents must be handled, treated and disposed of strictly in accordance with the prescribed environmental and biomedical waste management norms to prevent contamination of the lake and its surrounding ecosystem.
The Committee called upon the concerned authorities to ensure proper functioning of effluent treatment and waste management systems, conduct regular inspections and maintain effective monitoring mechanisms to prevent any discharge of untreated waste into water bodies. It also emphasised the need for accountability and interdepartmental coordination to address any identified deficiencies and ensure compliance with environmental standards.
The Committee reiterated that the conservation of Anchar Lake must be accorded due priority. It called for concrete, measurable and time-bound action by all concerned departments to curb pollution, remove encroachments, restore the lake’s ecological balance and preserve this important natural asset for future generations.
Chairman JKPCC Vasu Yadav, DC Srinagar Akshay Labroo, Commissioner SMC Dr Basharat Qayoom, VC LCMA Khurshid Ahmad Shah besides senior officers from the concerned departments accompanied the committee during the tour.