Rampant pollution and encroachments in the Wular lake are taking serious toll on the production of fish, nadru (lotus stem) and singhare (water chestnuts) in this lake.
Experts said the rampant pollution, accumulation of silt over the years and degradation of water quality in the lake have affected the lake ecosystem and the production of fish, nadru and singhare (water chestnuts).
“The decrease in the water level has further led to decline in the fish production besides affecting the water bird diversity and shifting of vegetation belts. This has caused drastic loss in the productivity of some economically important species,” they said.
The Wular with its large expanse of water is an important resource for fisheries, a combination of capture and culture fisheries.
According to the experts the singhare (water chestnuts) are found throughout the lake but their maximum concentration is on the eastern side towards right shoreline of the lake.
It is increasingly found in Kanibathi on the north-west and Garoora -Laharwalpora towards the north east. Nadru is mainly found in some areas of Ashtangu to Kehnusa in the southwest and Lankrishipora, Kulhama and Garoora area in northeast.
“Large quantities of sewage discharge from the Srinagar city and major towns flow into the lake through Jhelum, leading to increased eutrophication, which has adverse impact on the growth and development of the fisheries in general and sensitive species including schizothorax (native fish) in particular,” said Dr. Athar Masoodi, an aquatic weed biologist.
He said that overall submerged vegetation is greatly reduced due to enhanced turbidity. “Exotic species such as Salvinianatans, Lemna and Azolla have profusely grown in the lake area and have assumed invasive character reaching to nuisance proportions.”
“Proliferation of Azolla in the lake is a recent phenomenon. It is profusely growing in the upstream lakes and the river channel. The river Jhelum contributes significantly to the explosion of these species, apart from various other channels draining into the lake,” he said.
The trade of fish, nadru and singhare is the main source of livelihood for many people in around 30 villages on the banks of the lake.
Livelihood security of the communities dependent on the lake resources for sustenance is threatened due to deteriorating condition of the Wular, experts and locals said.
“Successive regimes,” they said, “have taken no steps for the protection of the lake and for the development of the communities living along the lake.”
TehsildarSumbal, Zafar Ahmad said there has been zero production of Nadru in the lake during last two years. “The crop got completely destroyed due to 2014 September floods and next year also there was no production of nadru in the lake.”
He said that the roots of nadru crop got blocked due to accumulation of mud in the lake area that flowed from the upstream river Jhelum. “This has stopped the growth of nadru,” he said.
Assistant Director, Fisheries department, Bandipora, Ghulam Jeelani said there has been drastic decline in the fish production in the lake over past decade.
