CAG audit finds 74% of J&K's lakes have shrunk or vanished since 1967 — yet conservation focuses on just 6 of 697 lakes.
Why in News
The Comptroller and Auditor General of India has tabled an audit report on the conservation and management of lakes in Jammu and Kashmir for the period ending March 2024. The report quantifies what residents already saw — but with a sharper edge: out of 697 lakes recorded in 1967, 518 have either disappeared (315) or shrunk (203), losing a combined 2,851.26 hectares. The CAG explicitly links this to the September 2014 floods that devastated Kashmir Valley.
At a Glance
- Reporting body
- Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India
- Audit period ending
- March 2024
- Total lakes in 1967
- 697 (28,990 hectares) across 20 districts in 2 divisions
- Disappeared/shrunk
- 518 (74%) — 315 disappeared + 203 shrunk
- Total area lost
- 2,851.26 hectares
- Increased (unexplained)
- 150 lakes (+538.22 ha; reasons unanalysed)
- Lost >50% area
- 63 lakes
- Conservation focus
- Only 6 lakes — Dal, Wular, Hokersar, Manasbal, Surinsar, Mansar
- Capital expenditure 2017-22
- Only ~1% (₹560.65 crore) allocated
- Wular Lake
- Largest freshwater lake in India
- Manasbal Lake
- Deepest lake in Kashmir
- Jammu division
- 259 of 367 lakes disappeared since 1967
- Kashmir division
- 56 of 330 lakes disappeared since 1967
- September 2014 floods
- Lake shrinkage cited as a contributory cause
The audit findings
Of 697 natural lakes in J&K in 1967 (covering 28,990 hectares across 20 districts), the CAG found that by March 2024, 518 (~74%) had either disappeared or shrunk. 315 lakes vanished entirely (1,537.07 ha) and 203 shrunk (1,314.19 ha) — a combined loss of 2,851.26 hectares. 150 lakes actually grew by 538.22 ha — but the audit flags that the reasons were never analysed by departments. 29 lakes are unchanged. 63 lakes lost more than half their area. Jammu division lost 259 of 367; Kashmir division lost 56 of 330.
Six lakes, one percent
Conservation effort is concentrated on just six lakes: Dal (urban Srinagar), Wular (Bandipora — largest freshwater lake in India; Ramsar site since 1990), Hokersar (Ramsar site, 2005), Manasbal (deepest lake in Kashmir, Ganderbal district), Surinsar and Mansar (Jammu region; Ramsar site, 2005). The other 691 lakes receive no structured conservation. Between 2017-22, only ~1% of capital expenditure (₹560.65 crore) was allocated even to the focused six — and even there, water-holding capacity monitoring, biodiversity assessment, weed removal, and desilting were partially or not done.
Causes of the loss
Six drivers compound: (1) pollution and eutrophication from untreated sewage, solid waste, and fertiliser runoff, causing algal blooms and oxygen depletion; (2) encroachment and land-use change as urban expansion converts lake areas to built-up land; (3) catchment degradation and siltation from deforestation and soil erosion; (4) institutional fragmentation across Forest, Revenue, Agriculture, and Urban Development departments with no centralised authority; (5) anthropogenic pressures including illegal mining, unregulated tourism, and cultural practices; and (6) climate change through shifting glacier-melt patterns, precipitation changes, and GLOF risk.
The 2014 floods linkage
The September 2014 floods were among the most devastating in Kashmir's recent history. The CAG report explicitly identifies lake shrinkage as a contributory cause — natural flood-balancing reservoirs lost capacity. Wular Lake alone had lost significant flood-buffering volume by then. India's lake-conservation framework is layered: NWCP (1985-86) + NLCP (2001) merged into NPCA (2013); Wetlands Rules 2017 enforce the 'wise use' principle through State Wetland Authorities; Water Act 1974 + EPA 1986 + the Ramsar Convention (1971; India joined 1982; J&K has 3 Ramsar sites). The framework exists; what's missing is execution at the 691-lake scale.
| Initiative | Year | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| National Wetlands Conservation Programme (NWCP) | 1985-86 | Financial assistance to states for wetland (incl lake) conservation |
| National Lake Conservation Programme (NLCP) | 2001 | Restoring ecology + water quality of degraded urban/semi-urban lakes |
| NPCA — National Programme for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems | 2013 | Merger of NLCP + NWCP for synergy; conservation of identified lakes and wetlands |
| Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules | 2017 | 'Wise use' principle; State Wetland Authorities; replaced Wetlands Rules 2010 |
| Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act | 1974 | Sewage and industrial discharge regulation; established CPCB and SPCBs |
| Environment Protection Act (EPA) | 1986 | Umbrella environmental legislation post-Bhopal disaster |
| Ramsar Convention (international) | 1971; India joined 1982 | Wetlands of international importance especially as waterfowl habitat |
- Disappeared entirely (315)· 315
- Shrunk (203)· 203
- Increased in area (150)· 150
- Unchanged (29)· 29
Static GK
- •CAG report on J&K lakes (2026): Audit period ending March 2024; 518 of 697 lakes (74%) in J&K disappeared/shrunk since 1967; 315 vanished entirely (1,537.07 ha); 203 shrunk by 1,314.19 ha; total loss 2,851.26 ha; 150 increased; 29 unchanged; 63 lost >50% area; conservation focus on only 6 lakes; ~1% capex 2017-22
- •Wular Lake: Largest freshwater lake in India; located in Bandipora district of Kashmir; designated Ramsar site since 1990; native fish species include Schizothorax richardsonii and Bangana diplostoma (both declining); critical flood-buffering lake whose shrinkage was a cause of September 2014 J&K floods
- •Six lakes under J&K conservation focus: Dal Lake (Srinagar), Wular Lake (Bandipora), Hokersar Lake (Ramsar wetland near Srinagar), Manasbal Lake (deepest lake in Kashmir, Ganderbal district), Surinsar Lake (Jammu), Mansar Lake (Jammu, Ramsar site)
- •National Wetlands Conservation Programme (NWCP): Launched 1985-1986; provided financial assistance to State Governments to prevent degradation of wetlands including lakes; operated under MoEFCC
- •National Lake Conservation Programme (NLCP): Launched 2001; aimed at restoring ecology and water quality of degraded urban and semi-urban lakes; merged with NWCP into NPCA in 2013
- •National Programme for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA): Launched 2013 as merger of NLCP (2001) and NWCP (1985-86); provides financial assistance for conservation of identified lakes and wetlands
- •Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017: Implements 'wise use' principle of Ramsar Convention; regulatory framework for conservation and sustainable use; establishes State Wetland Authorities; replaced Wetlands Rules 2010
- •Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974: First major Indian environmental legislation; regulates sewage and industrial discharge into water bodies; established Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)
- •Environment Protection Act (EPA), 1986: Umbrella environmental legislation enacted after the December 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy; gives Centre wide powers to protect and improve environmental quality
- •Ramsar Convention: Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat; adopted 1971 in Ramsar, Iran; India joined 1982; 89+ Ramsar sites in India; J&K sites include Wular Lake (1990), Hokersar (2005), Surinsar-Mansar (2005)
- •Article 48A and Article 51A(g): Both inserted by 42nd Constitutional Amendment, 1976. Article 48A — DPSP directing State to protect and improve the environment. Article 51A(g) — fundamental duty of every citizen to protect and improve the natural environment
- •September 2014 J&K floods: Devastating floods in Kashmir Valley in September 2014; significant loss of life and property; CAG flagged lake shrinkage (loss of natural flood-balancing reservoirs) as a contributory cause
- •Manasbal Lake: Deepest lake in Kashmir; located in Ganderbal district; among the 6 lakes covered by J&K conservation focus; known for lotus blossoms and aquatic biodiversity
Timeline
- 1967Baseline year — 697 natural lakes recorded in J&K (total area 28,990 ha)
- 1971Ramsar Convention on Wetlands adopted in Ramsar, Iran
- 1974Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act enacted; established CPCB and SPCBs
- 1982India joins the Ramsar Convention
- 1985-1986National Wetlands Conservation Programme (NWCP) launched
- 1986Environment Protection Act (EPA) enacted post-Bhopal disaster
- 1990Wular Lake designated as Ramsar site
- 2001National Lake Conservation Programme (NLCP) launched
- 2005Hokersar and Surinsar-Mansar lakes designated as Ramsar sites
- 2013NPCA — merger of NLCP and NWCP for better synergy
- 2014 (September)Devastating J&K floods; lake shrinkage flagged as contributory cause
- 2017Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules notified — 'wise use' principle; State Wetland Authorities
- 2017-2022Only ~1% of J&K capital expenditure (₹560.65 crore) allocated to 6 focused lakes
- 2026CAG audit report flags 518/697 lakes (74%) lost or shrunk since 1967; period ending March 2024
- →Reporting body: CAG of India
- →Audit period ending: March 2024
- →Baseline year: 1967; total lakes: 697 (28,990 ha)
- →Disappeared or shrunk: 518 (~74%)
- →Disappeared entirely: 315 lakes (1,537.07 ha)
- →Shrunk: 203 lakes (1,314.19 ha)
- →Total area lost: 2,851.26 ha
- →Increased (unanalysed): 150 lakes (538.22 ha)
- →Conservation focus: only 6 lakes
- →Dal + Wular + Hokersar + Manasbal + Surinsar + Mansar
- →Capex 2017-22: only ~1% (₹560.65 cr)
- →Wular = largest freshwater lake in India
- →Manasbal = deepest lake in Kashmir
- →Jammu div: 259/367 disappeared
- →Kashmir div: 56/330 disappeared
- →September 2014 floods — shrinkage cited as cause
- →NWCP = 1985-86; NLCP = 2001
- →NPCA = 2013 (merger of NWCP + NLCP)
- →Wetlands Rules = 2017; Water Act = 1974; EPA = 1986
- →Ramsar = 1971; India joined 1982; J&K = 3 sites
Exam Angles
A CAG audit has found that 74% of Jammu and Kashmir's lakes have shrunk or vanished since 1967, while conservation focuses on just 6 of the 697 lakes that existed then.
Q1. Which is the largest freshwater lake in India?
- A.Dal Lake
- B.Wular Lake
- C.Manasbal Lake
- D.Chilika Lake
tap to reveal answer
Answer: B. Wular Lake
Wular Lake in Bandipora district of Kashmir is the largest freshwater lake in India. It is a Ramsar-designated wetland (since 1990). Dal Lake is a famous urban lake in Srinagar but smaller. Manasbal Lake is the deepest lake in Kashmir, not the largest. Chilika Lake (Odisha) is India's largest brackish-water (saltwater) lagoon — not freshwater.
The Comptroller and Auditor General of India has flagged a major ecological crisis in Jammu and Kashmir through its audit report for the period ending March 2024: 518 out of 697 natural lakes (~74%) have either disappeared or shrunk since 1967, with 315 lakes vanishing entirely and 203 shrinking — a combined loss of 2,851.26 hectares.
Key concerns: conservation focus is extremely narrow, limited to just 6 lakes (Dal, Wular, Hokersar, Manasbal, Surinsar, Mansar) when 691 others receive no structured attention. Underfunding is severe — only ~1% of capital expenditure (₹560.65 crore) allocated to even these 6 lakes during 2017-22. The causes of degradation are layered: pollution and eutrophication; encroachment and land-use change; catchment degradation and siltation; institutional fragmentation across Forest, Revenue, Agriculture, and Urban Development departments; anthropogenic pressures (illegal mining, unregulated tourism); and climate change. The September 2014 J&K floods are explicitly linked to lake shrinkage — natural flood-balancing reservoirs lost capacity.
The wider implications cut across ecology (biodiversity loss; disappearance of native fish *Schizothorax richardsonii* and *Bangana diplostoma* from Wular), livelihoods (fishing, lotus-stem harvesters, houseboat tourism), and public health (heavy-metal accumulation in fish — manganese, copper, lead — risks brain, liver, kidney damage).
The conservation framework is layered: NWCP (1985-86) + NLCP (2001) merged into NPCA (2013); Wetlands Rules 2017 enforce the 'wise use' principle; Water Act 1974 + EPA 1986 + Ramsar Convention (1971; India joined 1982). Constitutional anchors are Article 48A (DPSP) + Article 51A(g) (fundamental duty), both from the 42nd Amendment 1976, plus Article 21 environmental jurisprudence (Subhash Kumar v. Bihar 1991). The framework exists. The implementation gap — fragmented responsibility, weak monitoring, underfunding — is what the CAG audit underlines.
- Ecological collapse marker74% lake loss since 1967 reflects systemic ecological collapse — biodiversity, hydrology, livelihoods all hit
- Climate-disaster linkageLake shrinkage cited as a contributory cause of September 2014 J&K floods — loss of natural flood-buffering
- Federal accountabilityCAG audit demonstrates structured oversight under Article 148-151; J&K under L-G governance after Article 370 abrogation 2019
- Narrow focusConservation limited to only 6 of 697 lakes; 691 lakes have no structured programme
- UnderfundingOnly ~1% of capital expenditure (₹560.65 cr) allocated 2017-22 even for 6 focused lakes
- Institutional fragmentationForest + Revenue + Agriculture + Urban Development have overlapping responsibilities; no centralised authority
- Monitoring gapsReasons for 150 lakes' area increase NOT analysed; weak data culture across departments
- Centralised authorityEstablish J&K Lake Conservation Authority with statutory powers under Wetlands Rules 2017
- Extended scopeExtend conservation to all 185 major lakes (>5 ha); not just 6
- Climate-adaptive managementGlacier-melt monitoring + GLOF early-warning + catchment restoration via CAMPA-style interventions
- Community-based conservationInclude fishing communities, houseboat operators, indigenous knowledge holders; livelihood incentives for conservation
- Ramsar expansionIncrease J&K Ramsar sites beyond current 3 (Wular 1990, Hokersar 2005, Surinsar-Mansar 2005); strengthen wise-use management