The integrated management plan for the conservation of Wular Lake, one of the biggest freshwater lakes in South Asia, in the Bandipora district, was approved by the Jammu and Kashmir administration on Wednesday.
According to an official spokeswoman, Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Mehta approved the Forest, Ecology and Environment Department's petition to declare Wular Lake as a wetland under the parameters of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
The lake has a surface size of 13,000 hectares and a zone of impact over another 486.12 hectares.
In order to restore and revitalize the Wular Lake, the forest department was urged by Kumar, who presided over the second meeting of the Wetland Authority for the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, to use scientific procedures for dredging, de-silting, and de-weeding.
The spokesman stated that a number of activities, including water extraction, resource gathering, pontoon bridge construction, aquaculture, agriculture, horticulture, and eco-tourism, will be regulated both within the wetland and in its zone of impact.
In order to support an integrated and multi-disciplinary strategy for conservation and management of the water body, the J-K Wetland Authority also adopted the Integrated Management Plan for Conservation of Wular Lake, he said.
According to the proposal, a number of initiatives totaling Rs 150 crore would be carried out for the wetland's scientific management, the spokesman added.
About Wular Lake:
Wular Lake, located in the foothills of Haramuk Mountain, is Asia's second largest fresh-water lake. It has a total area of 200 square kilometres, covering nearly 24 kilometres in length and 10 kilometres in breadth. It is one of Asia's largest freshwater lakes. It is located in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district. The Jhelum River feeds the lake basin, which was formed as a result of tectonic activity.
