CAG finds no legal statute for conservation of 697 lakes in Jammu and Kashmir

It assessed whether the Government of Jammu and Kashmir had effective policies and programmes to preserve these water bodies.

Who it concerns: Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir (specifically the Forest Department, Revenue, Agriculture, Housing and Urban Development, and Tourism Departments, and various Development Authorities).

What the auditor found

• Absence of a specific legal statute or Act for the conservation and management of lakes.
• Lack of a centralized development and regulatory authority, leading to fragmented responsibilities across five different departments.
• Remote sensing data (2014-2020) showed a decrease in open water area and an increase in built-up, agriculture, and other land uses across 63 test-checked lakes.
• Seven sampled lakes were found to be not visible or had almost dried up.
• Underutilization of funds allocated for lake management and conservation plans.
• Encroachment of lake areas and construction in catchment areas without building permission.
• Sewage entering lakes without treatment.
• Recommendations to establish a centralized authority, enact specific legislation, and improve monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.

Also in the document

• CAG found that despite the Forest Department being mandated in 1989 to handle all 697 lakes, a detailed survey was never carried out due to a lack of technical manpower.
• CAG noted that while Development Authorities were established for five of the six detailed-checked lakes, they lacked clear directions or specific mandates for lake conservation.
• CAG reported that the Government of Jammu and Kashmir had conservation and management programmes for only six out of the 697 natural lakes in the region.