Srinagar ,Oct 8 (KNS) : The reported shrinkage of Anchar Lake from around 19.5 square kilometres to just 6.5 square kilometres has raised serious questions over the protection of Srinagar’s important wetland, with Awami Itihaad Party (AIP) Chief Spokesperson Inam Un Nabi seeking accountability from the Lake Conservation and Management Authority (LCMA).

“If Anchar has gone from 19.5 to 6.5 square kilometres, the question is simple: what was LCMA doing while this decline was taking place? Who was monitoring the lake and its boundaries, and what action was taken to prevent further loss?” Inam Un Nabi said.

The CAG’s audit of conservation and management of lakes in Jammu and Kashmir has also recorded the degrading and shrinking of Anchar Lake, while its examination of land-use changes found built-up activity and encroachments in and around lake areas.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

Inam Un Nabi said the government should now make public the historical and present boundaries of Anchar, records of inspections and encroachment action, conservation expenditure and the measures taken by LCMA over the years.

“The people of Srinagar deserve a clear account of how this loss occurred and what the responsible authority did to stop it. Anchar is also part of the city’s natural flood-management system, so its continued decline cannot be treated as a routine environmental issue.” he said.(KNS)