Wular Lake Revived: Silt Cleared, Trees Removed

Wular Lake, a vital Ramsar site in North Kashmir, is experiencing a major revival. Over the past few years, authorities have successfully dredged approximately 78.43 lakh cubic meters of silt, reclaiming 5 sq km of the lake bed and significantly enhancing its water-holding capacity. This extensive desiltation effort is part of a larger conservation project that began to gain momentum in May 2020.

Complementing the desiltation, around 1.35 lakh willow trees have been cleared from the lake's vicinity. Protection bunds along 15 km of vulnerable stretches have been reinforced to prevent encroachments and provide flood buffering. Infrastructure development is also underway, including non-motorable walkways with cycling tracks, viewing points, and parks aimed at promoting eco-tourism and generating revenue, which has already reached ₹31.95 crore from these interventions.