Anchar Lake ( ; ) ; ) is a lake located in
Soura in the
Srinagar district
The Srinagar District is an administrative district of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), Jammu and Kashmir in the disputed Kashmir region. The application of the term "administered" to the various regions of Kashmir and ...
of the
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
n-administered
Jammu and Kashmir.
Situated close to
Ganderbal, the lake is connected with the famous
Dal Lake via a channel, "Amir Khan Nallah," which passes through
Gilsar and
Khushal Sar. The lake is in a highly
deteriorated condition. In case of flooding, the excessive water of the Dal is diverted here.
The
Shallabugh Wetland extends to include Anchar Lake, which serves as a vital water source for the interconnected wetland ecosystem. It plays a pivotal role in maintaining the balance of aquatic life and promoting environmental harmony in the region. This wetland serves as a connecting link between Anchar Lake and the
Sind River.
Deterioration
Once a popular tourist destination, as tourists on
shikaras and houseboats used to travel here from Dal Lake, over the years it has deteriorated owing to
pollution
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause harm. Pollution can take the form of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or energy (such as radioactivity, heat, sound, or light). Pollutants, the component ...
, large-scale
encroachment, and
illegal constructions in its surroundings. In the 1990s, when the
Nallah Mar was covered to build the Mearplan highway around the western side of Dal, six-foot pipes were laid under the new road to allow Dal to continue to drain into the Anchar lake system, however, the pipes soon clogged due to waste and debris.
Like the
Dal Lake and
Wular Lake
Wular Lake (), also known as Wolar () in Kashmiri language, Kashmiri, is one of the largest fresh water, freshwater lakes in the Indian subcontinent. It is located near Bandipore, Bandipora town in the Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir ...
, it is home to the Hanji community, which lives near the lake in an area called Anchar among the locals.
References
External links
Anchar Lake
Lakes of Jammu and Kashmir
Srinagar
Water pollution in India
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