Bilal Bhat
Srinagar | July 11, 2025 –
In a dramatic turn of events, the Lakes Conservation and Management Authority (LCMA) today launched excavation operations in Saidakadal-Rangarstop area of Srinagar, targeting massive illegal landfilling and encroachments choking the banks of Nigeen Lake. The operation, led on the ground by DSP LCMA Abdul Aziz, follows mounting public pressure over years of environmental violations in one of Kashmir’s most ecologically sensitive lake zones.
At the heart of the controversy lies a shocking transformation: several kanals of Nigeen lakebed, filled illegally in 2024, have been brazenly turned into a makeshift parking lot. Heavy vehicles, dumpers, and machinery now sit where once water flowed — a chilling symbol of state failure and political collusion.
> “This isn’t just illegal—it’s a crime against the environment. An entire part of Nigeen Lake has been buried alive,” said Rizwan Mir, a concerned local.
Images captured from the site show clear demarcations of the filled areas, while LCMA machinery was seen initiating partial excavation work. But locals warn that the main filled patch—now converted into a bustling vehicle yard—remains untouched.
> “We appreciate DSP Abdul Aziz’s bold action. His no-nonsense approach has given people hope. But we also urge him to excavate the entire illegal parking zone. That land belongs to the lake, not the violators,” said Ajaz Dar, a resident activist.
Civil society groups argue that the Nigeen-Saidakadal belt is turning into a new hotspot for land mafia and encroachers, encouraged by political patronage.
> “This filled land is more than real estate—it’s become a vote bank for a particular political party. That’s why these violations were ignored for so long. What we’re witnessing is political complicity at the cost of Kashmir’s water heritage,” another resident alleged, requesting anonymity for safety reasons.
The Saidakadal-Hazratbal road, which divides Dal and Nigeen Lakes, has effectively become the line of fire — both lakes are shrinking silently on either side as construction, landfilling, and unauthorized shops mushroom without check.
Environmentalists warn that if LCMA fails to act comprehensively and decisively, Dal and Nigeen Lake could soon go the way of the once-glorious Khushalsar — suffocated by greed, politics, and institutional apathy.
The people of Srinagar are watching. Will LCMA, under DSP Abdul Aziz’s promising lead, carry this to its logical conclusion—or will this be just another half-hearted clean-up in the shadow of Kashmir’s vanishing waters?
