Ganderbal (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], March 10 : The Wular-Manasbal Development Authority (WMDA) has launched a dredging and cleanliness drive at the historic Manasbal Lake to restore its ecological health and enhance its natural beauty.
Chief Executive Officer Ahsan-ul-Haq Chisti said the dredging work, which had not been carried out for many years, was initiated about four to five months ago to remove silt, clear blocked water channels and increase the lake's carrying capacity.
According to Chisti, around 1.3 square kilometres of the lake area has been dredged so far, while nearly 7,000 cubic metres of weeds have been manually removed.
He said the initiative has already started showing positive results, with the lake witnessing the arrival of migratory birds in large numbers after several decades.
Chisti also urged local stakeholders, including fishermen, lotus stem collectors and boatmen, to cooperate with the authorities to help conserve the lake and maintain its ecological balance.
Resident Abdul Ahmad said, "For many years, the lake was getting filled with weeds and silt, which affected fishing and the overall water flow. After the dredging work started, we can see a visible improvement, and we hope the lake will return to its earlier condition."

Another resident, Sajad Ahmad, said the return of migratory birds has brought hope for the local community. "We have started seeing more birds visiting the lake again. This is a positive sign that the ecosystem is recovering. We appreciate the efforts taken by the authorities to clean and conserve the lake," he said.

Residents have welcomed the dredging and cleanliness drive, saying the initiative will help restore the lake's ecosystem and improve their livelihoods.