StickySituation

First published in Sanctuary Cub, Vol. 44 No. 5, May 2024

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Photo Feature

Dal Lake
Dal Lake, part of a larger natural wetland that spans an area of 21.1 sq. km., boasts unique floating gardens, called “Rad” in Kashmiri. Kingfishers, ducks, geese and a variety of waders can be spotted here. Today, this busy waterbody faces multiple threats such as eutrophication; sediment deposition due to catchment area degradation; deterioration of water quality because of heavy pollution from untreated sewage and solid waste from settlements and houseboats; and encroachment of water channels, which has disrupted the balance of nutrients, leading to an explosion of weed growth. Photo: Rouf Ahmad Rather.