CAG's lake findings called 'indicative', not conclusive

The Ministry responded by clarifying jurisdictional responsibilities and listing central and state-level conservation measures.

Asked and answered by: Asked by: Shri Eatala Rajender and Shri Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy; Answered by: Ministry of Jal Shakti (Minister Shri C R Patil).

What the government said

• Water is a state subject; protection and management of wetlands/lakes are primarily undertaken by State Governments/UT Administrations.
• The Central Government conducted the 1st Census of Water Bodies in 33 States/UTs under the 'Irrigation Census' scheme (reference year 2017-18).
• The government states that CAG findings based on LISS-III satellite imagery are indicative and do not constitute conclusive evidence of permanent disappearance without field verification.
• J&K Government updated its inventory to 1,793 wetlands and water bodies using high-resolution imagery and field verification.
• MoEF&CC has provided approximately Rs. 1170 crores as Central share under the National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Eco-systems (NPCA) for about 172 wetlands.
• The 'Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari' (JSJB) initiative was launched in 2024, with JSJB 2.0 implementation running from June 2025 to May 2026.
• Karnataka reported 41,849 lakes, of which 15,854 were found encroached and encroachment was removed in 10,155 tanks.
• Telangana has submitted 28 proposals for notification under the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017, and proposed Manjeera Wildlife Sanctuary for Ramsar site designation.

Also in the document

• The government explicitly stated that the CAG report's findings based on satellite imagery are 'indicative in nature' and 'do not constitute conclusive evidence' of permanent disappearance or encroachment.
• The answer does not provide a specific figure for the number of lakes that have 'vanished' or 'shrunk' nationally, instead focusing on the methodology of the census and state-specific remedial actions.
• The response clarifies that while the Central Government supplements efforts, the primary responsibility for lake conservation lies with State Governments/UT Administrations.