Syed Ali Safvi

SRINAGAR, May 19: The best lotus blossoms was once found towards thes southern side of the Anchar lake called Khus-hal Sar during the months of July and August. Once the pride of Kashmir, Khush-hal Sar (meaning prosperous lake in Kashmiri) is near death. When the government is taking measures to conserve Dal lake, Khush-hal Sar is being ignored because no government department involved in conservation of Kashmir's water bodies knows under whose jurisdiction the ill fated lake falls.

Lakes and Water Ways Development Authority (LAWDA) say that Khush-hal Sar does not come under their ambit.

"It comes under the purview of Remote Sensing Department," they say.

The Environment and Remote Sensing department officials have a different story to tell.

"LAWDA is entrusted with the responsibility of conserving both Khush-hal Sar and Anchar lake. The machinery and other equipments it uses in Dal Lake can be used in Khush-hal Sar as well," they maintain. "As far as our department is concerned we don't have the machines and funds."

Ghulam Muhammad Hajam, Ex-deputy Mayor Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) and local Corporator, who has been rigorously working for the conservation of Khush-hal Sar, blames the local legislators for the lake's deplorable condition.

"The projects of Brarinambal and Khush-hal Sar were approved simultaneously in 1997-98. The project of Brarinambal is on the verge of completion, but very small work has been done in case of Khus-hal Sar," he says. "Istrongly feel that ex-MLAs have miserably failed to protect Khush-hal Sar."

Khus-hal Sar, according to the Rajitarangini, stretched on a vast area of three miles. According to official records, prior to 1985 the lake covered 1400 kanals. Today it is half that size. And with all the dumping of night soil and sewage from the drains across Srinagar the lake has become a virtual sewage reservoir. As many as 96 MLD of sewage flows into the lake every day according to J&K Urban Environmental Engineering Department (UEED).

"The first drain coming into the lake was made in 1985," says Raja Ashraf Hussain of Zadibal.

Today the sludge arrives via Vicharnag Nalla from Buchpora, Soura, Illahibagh, Awantibaan, and from Bohri Kadal, Islamia College, Mukhdoom sahib, Rjouri Kadal, Nawa Kadal, and the adjacent areas of Kawadara and Reshandar, not to mention Nallah Amir Khan carrying the sewage of Lal Bazar, Mandibal, Bota Kadal, Amda Kadal. Last but not least, Khush-hal Sar receives the night soil coming through the chain of open drains.

The sewage generated by the population of 285763 (2001 census) goes into the Khush-hal Sar thereby deteriorating the water quality, which has become a menace for jthe population living on the Lakeside.

Due to the abundant sewage flowing into the Lake, there has been an outbreak of various fatal diseases like hepatitis B, jaundice, and lung cancer, which have so far claimed more than a dozen lives in Khush-hal Sar area. Eye infection has become very common.

The government announced a raw sewage treatment plan a few years ago, in which a main drain would control the sewage going into the lake. All the drains and Nallahs were supposed to be joined with the main sewer line. The government also decided to establish a huge Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP) of 132 MLD for Zone III of Greater Srinagar at Noor Bagh, where the sewage would be treated and then discharged into River Jhelum. After laying a few sewer lines, however, the government abruptly stopped the project without explanation. Moreover, around 50 kanals from the total 350 kanals of land reserved for the construction of the STP were handed over to the Srinagar Development Authority (SDA) in 2007.

"We have got information that the government wants to hand over few more kanals to some other agencies as well," says Sajad Hussain. "I get the feeling that the government is in no mood to construct the Plant."

Sajad's apprehension seems true when one goes through the content of a letter sent by the Chief Engineer J&K Urban Environmental Engineering Department (UEED) to the Principal Secretary to Government Housing & Urban Development Department Srinagar on June 23, 2006 regarding the transfer of 50 kanals of land at Noor Bagh.

"It is pertinent to mention here that the sewerage scheme in Zone III of Greater Srinagar has been designed with the outfall to said location..... Changing the proposed site will altogether change the design parameters of the project besides making the already executed works redundant," the Chief Engineer wrote. "Under the circumstances highlighted above it becomes quite imperative that the land acquired at Noorbagh by this department is just sufficient for raising of the proposed sewerage treatment plant and the department is not in a position to spare any patch of land to any agency."