2 sewage plants not meeting standards; water quality deteriorating, urgent conservation measures needed
WAJAHAT SHABIR
SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee (J&K PCC) has submitted a detailed report to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) highlighting the grim condition of Brari Nambal Lagoon, a vital water body linked with Dal Lake, pointing to unchecked sewage discharge, encroachments, and ineffective treatment facilities as the primary causes of its degradation.
The report, prepared in compliance with NGT’s directions in response to a news item titled “Brari Nambal: A Stark Failure, Successive Regimes Failed to Restore Glory of Dal Lake’s Lagoon”, underscores that the lagoon — once an ecologically important outflow basin of Dal Lake — has shrunk in quality and health due to years of neglect.
According to the PCC, sewage mismanagement in the Baba Demb area has emerged as the main source of pollution, with two drains directly emptying into the lagoon. While two Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) with capacities of 16.1 MLD and 17.1 MLD operate in the vicinity, the report reveals that neither plant functions as per NGT’s prescribed standards, leading to the discharge of inadequately treated sewage. Elevated levels of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), and faecal coliform have severely deteriorated the lagoon’s water quality.
The historical analysis carried out by the Department of Ecology, Environment and Remote Sensing shows alarming land use changes between 2003 and 2025: agricultural land declined by 32%, plantation cover by 82%, while built-up area increased by over 180%.
Although the J&K Lake Conservation and Management Authority (LCMA) has undertaken several projects, including dredging, aerator installation, and beautification works costing crores under AMRUT and PMDP schemes, the report admits that large-scale encroachments, dumping of garbage, and opposition from private landholders have hampered restoration efforts.
The Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, in a parallel submission, confirmed that Brari Nambal village spans over 858 kanals, of which more than 240 kanals are state land. However, encroachment details remain unverified due to poor revenue records.
To address the crisis, authorities have proposed a new Rs 50.64 crore “Pollution Abatement Project” including a 14 MLD STP, sewer network, and allied works under the NGT Action Plan 2025–26. Tenders for upgrading the existing facilities have already been floated.
The J&K PCC has urged the NGT to consider its findings, noting that despite multiple reminders, the Srinagar Municipal Corporation is yet to furnish its detailed status report, citing the prevailing flood situation.
The report concludes that Brari Nambal’s ecological decline is directly tied to poor sewage management, unchecked encroachments, and lack of coordinated conservation, stressing immediate interventions to prevent further damage to Dal Lake’s hydrology.
