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Wular lake is of tremendous
importance for the migratory birds, who come to the lake from almost allover
the globe. Among them some are figured in the endangered list, entrusting the
lake with utmost ecological importance. Rampant human encroachments and heavy
silitation is the immense threat to the lake and in-turn to the migratory
birds also.
The Wular lake, which
is the largest fresh water lake in India. It is about 13 miles long and 6
miles broad, covering an area of about 78.5 sq. miles. It is bordered by the
high mountains on the north and north-east of the valley. The rivers Bohnar,
Madamati and Erin from the mountain ranges and the Vetasta (Jhelum) and the
Ningal from the south bring hundreds of tons of silt into the lake year after
year. All this makes it a heaven for the migratory birds.
The word Wular comes
from a Sanskrit word 'Ullola' which means stormy, high rising waves. The
origin may also be credited to a Kashmiri word 'Wul' which means a gap or a
crack.
Birds like Marbled
Teal , Pallas's Fish-eagle, Coot,
European Roller and many others use
the lake. Among them Marbled Teal ,
Pallas's Fish-eagle are in the Red list of IUCN. So, one can have a slightest
sense of how significant the lake is for the existence of the ecological
balance in the region.
It is
high time for all the concerned government and non governmental organizations
to keep a check on the rampant pollution that is vanishing the lake at a very
high rate. All the stake holders especially the ones who lives in the
vicinity of the lake need to join each others hands, develop the area and
employ all the require safeguarding measures to prevent the lake from
contamination.
(Author can be contacted at bilal4u2@gmail.com)
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