Srinagar, Aug 08 (KNO): The picturesque Manasbal Lake in Ganderbal district is witnessing serious pollution, with all seven water samples collected by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) failing to meet the prescribed Class-B standards and high levels of faecal and total coliform detected at several locations.
The findings, according to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), submitted before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) have raised fresh concerns over the deteriorating health of one of Kashmir's important freshwater wetlands and a source of drinking water for thousands of people in adjoining areas.
The CPCB conducted the assessment on April 4, 2026, along with officials of the J&K Pollution Control Committee and the Wullar-Manasbal Development Authority (WMDA), following directions from the NGT in a case filed by environmental activist Raja Muzaffar Bhat.
Seven samples were collected from four locations in Manasbal Lake, two natural springs along its periphery and the Lar Canal, which flows into the lake.
According to the CPCB report, none of the samples met Class-B criteria prescribed for organised outdoor bathing.
Five locations -- four in the lake and one in the Lar Canal -- were categorised under Class-D, which denotes water suitable for propagation of wildlife and fisheries.
Only one of the spring samples met Class-C criteria, under which water can be used as a drinking water source after conventional treatment and disinfection. The other spring sample did not qualify under Classes A, B, C or D.
The results have highlighted particularly high levels of microbiological contamination.
At the southern portion of the lake near Kondabal, faecal coliform was recorded at 780 MPN per 100 ml, while total coliform stood at 35,000 MPN per 100 ml.
The Lar Canal recorded the highest faecal-coliform concentration among the seven samples at 2,200 MPN per 100 ml, along with total coliform of 22,000 MPN per 100 ml.
The temple spring recorded faecal coliform of 1,100 MPN per 100 ml and total coliform of 1,700 MPN per 100 ml, while the second spring recorded faecal coliform of 400 MPN per 100 ml and total coliform of 17,000 MPN per 100 ml.
At the lake's municipal water-extraction point, faecal coliform was recorded at 45 MPN per 100 ml and total coliform at 330 MPN per 100 ml.
The CPCB said the presence of faecal and total coliform indicated microbiological contamination of the water.
The inspection also painted a grim picture of waste management around the wetland, with plastic bags, bottles and other municipal waste found dumped along portions of the lake shore.
Open garbage dumping was observed near residential areas, while grey water from households was found flowing towards the lake. Solid waste was also noticed around the Kondabal area.
The CPCB further observed that a portion of the Lar Canal directly enters Manasbal Lake, raising concerns over the movement of wastewater and solid waste into the wetland.
The pollution concerns are particularly significant as Manasbal is not only an ecologically important water body but also a popular tourist destination known for its clear waters, lotus blooms and surrounding landscape.
The wetland also serves as a source of drinking water for residents of Safapora, Sumbal, Sonawari and adjoining areas of Ganderbal and Bandipora districts.
The case before the NGT alleges that untreated sewage from 14 villages is being discharged into the Manasbal Wetland through the Lar Canal.
Bhat, represented by advocates Rahul Chowdhary and Shreepuna Dasgupta, had submitted before the Tribunal that the continuous inflow of untreated wastewater was degrading the lake's ecology.
On January 30, the NGT Principal Bench directed the CPCB to conduct an assessment and submit its findings.
The CPCB also carried out physico-chemical and heavy-metal analysis of the samples. While most heavy metals, including arsenic, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, lead, nickel and selenium, were below detectable limits, manganese was detected in six samples and zinc in some samples.
Iron was recorded at 1.37 mg per litre in the Lar Canal sample.
The report noted that the pollution was primarily evident through biological contamination and wastewater discharge rather than widespread heavy-metal contamination.
The authorities, meanwhile, have reported several measures aimed at improving the condition of the lake.
The WMDA informed the CPCB that dredging had been undertaken after a gap of more than 12 years, covering around 70,000 square feet.
Selective manual de-weeding was also carried out, with around 1.60 lakh square metres of the lake surface cleared by March 17, 2026. About 7,202.50 cubic metres of weeds were removed during the exercise, involving an expenditure of around Rs 22 lakh in 2025-26.
A sanitation contract covering collection and disposal of solid waste around the lake has also been awarded for an area of approximately 6.44 lakh square metres.
The WMDA said a Detailed Project Report for a sewage treatment plant (STP) had been prepared by the Urban Environmental Engineering Department in consultation with the J&K Economic Reconstruction Agency.
However, the proposed STP remains a key concern for environmentalists, who say the absence of effective sewage treatment is allowing wastewater to continue reaching the wetland.
The WMDA said communications had been sent to the Irrigation and Flood Control Department seeking measures, including mesh fencing at canal nodes, to prevent solid waste from entering the lake through the Lar Canal.
The authority has also taken up the relocation of Kondabal village with the concerned departments and said land had been identified for an Integrated Solid Waste Management Plant.
Bhat said residents of Safapora and adjoining areas had been repeatedly raising concerns over pollution in the lake.
"Locals of Safapora and adjoining areas, led by Civil Society Safapora and Social Concern Group, have been highlighting this issue for a long time, but authorities never took them seriously," he said.
He alleged that despite repeated assurances that an STP would be established to protect the lake, the project had not materialised.
"This is criminal negligence on the part of authorities and this will be placed on record before the NGT," Bhat said.
He said the matter would be taken up before the Tribunal and expressed hope that environmental compensation would be imposed on authorities responsible for the degradation of the water body.
The CPCB submitted its final report before the NGT on August 3, 2026.
The findings have brought renewed attention to the growing pressure on Manasbal Lake, where sewage inflow, household wastewater, garbage dumping and weed growth are increasingly emerging as threats to its ecological health.
For a lake celebrated for its lotus-covered waters and scenic surroundings, the contamination findings offer a stark reminder that its picturesque surface masks a deeper environmental problem that authorities now face pressure to address—(KNO)