Jammu: Asia’s second largest fresh water body has shrunk to 176 square kilometers from 217.58  square kilometers in 1911, the government said Wednesday .
Minister for Forests and Environment, Main Altaf Ahmed informed the House that “area of lake as per toposheet of 1911 was 217.58 Sq Kms including 58.37 Sq Kms of associated marshes which has been  reduced to 176 Sq Kms due to land use change.”
The Minister said that, however, as per revenue records, the actual area excluding associated marshes is 130 Sq Kms and it has been demarcated in 2011-12 with 1159 boundary pillars by Wullar Conservation and Management Authority.
He further said the Government of India has approved Rs. 120 crore under the 13th Finance Commission for Conservation and Management of Wullar Lake.  The first  installment of Rs. 30 crore was released during 2011-12 against which Rs. 20.61 crore have been utilized upto last December.

KR Desk