Srinagar: Red algal bloom, an indicator of heavy pollution in the water body, has engulfed the surface of Dal Lake turning it red over a vast stretch.
Officials pin the blame on increased agriculture activates and consequent use of fertilizers and pesticides in the catchments of the lake.
The fault lies partly on the Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA), which has to take care of the lake’s health through de-weeding and aeration mechanisms.
In recent years, the quality of water in the Dal Lake water has suffered from rapid urbanization, agricultural activities, deforestation, silt and municipal sewage, which go on to provide nutrition to red algae.
The bloom appears green in the morning and turns to brick red as the temperature picks in the day.
Officials say a two-kilometer stretch in the lake always remains the worst affected with red algae bloom during summers defacing its beauty.
Vice Chairman LAWDA, G M Dar told Kashmir Reader that due to shutdown in Kashmir they were not able to go for de-weeding operations but have now picked up the operations over the last few days, both manually and through machines.
“The excavation of unwanted weeds has been started from the area of Dal Lake upto Nishat Pipeline Bund,” he said.
Almost 300 skilled labors are extracting the weeds and four de-weeding machines are also working, officials said.
“Apart from that we have started aeration of the water so that the red algae bloom will disappear. This red algae bloom disappears only when water doesn’t receive any nutrition, till then every year it will come,” he said.

NAZIMA SIDIQ