2019 – Posted in: Daily News – Tags: Dredging Corporation of India, Eco-Sensitive Zone, Ecologically Fragile Areas

Dal Lake to be declared Eco-sensitive Zone

For: Preliminary & Mains

Topics covered:

About Dal Lake
About Eco-Sensitive Zone
About Dredging Corporation of India

News Flash:

The UT administration has decided to declare Dal Lake and its surrounding areas as an Eco-sensitive Zone, following concerns over its shrinking size. The Jammu and Kashmir Government will set up a 10-member committee that will declare Dal Lake, an Eco-sensitive Zone.

The decision is being taken based on the study conducted by the DCI-Dredging Corporation of India.

Findings of DCI

Pollution and encroachments have resulted in the Dal Lake shrinking from its original area of 22 square kilometers to about 10 square kilometers.
The capacity of the lake has shrunk to 40%.
The water quality has deteriorated due to untreated sewage water and solid waste flowing into it.
Night Soil discharge from 800 to 900 houseboats is polluting the water body.
The depth of the lake has reduced in many places.

Eco-Sensitive Zone

ESZs or Ecologically Fragile Areas (EFAs) are areas notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) around Protected Areas, National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries.

The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 mentions the word “Eco-Sensitive Zones”. There is no constitutional provision that talks about ESZ.

Way forward

The J&K Lakes and Waterways Development Authority, which looks after the Dal Lake, has banned construction within 200 metres from the water body.

Dredging Corporation of India

DCI is a Premier Dredging Company engaged in the business of dredging.
It was established in the year 1976 to provide dredging services to the Major Ports of the country in India.
It is involved in maintenance dredging, capital dredging, beach nourishment, land reclamation, shallow water dredging, Project Management consultancy and Marine construction.
It further serves the Nation in a variety of ways, be it capital dredging for creation of new harbors, deepening of existing harbors or maintenance dredging for the upkeep of the required depths at various Ports along the 7,500 Kms coastline of India.
DCI is a schedule B & a MINI RATNA- CATEGORY-I Public Sector Enterprise.

Dal Lake

Dal is a lake in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is also known as Lake of Flowers”, “Jewel in the crown of Kashmir” or “Srinagar’s Jewel”.
The lake is also an important source for commercial operations in fishing and water plant harvesting.

Source: The Hindu