J&K High Court bans motorboats, fuel-powered jet skis on Dal Lake, calls for cleaner alternatives

Srinagar:In a significant move to protect Kashmir’s iconic Dal Lake from pollution, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court has prohibited the operation of motorised shikaras and fuel-powered jet skis on the lake until further orders, directing authorities to explore solar-powered and electric alternatives.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati and Justice Rajesh Sekhri issued the directions on Thursday, asking the Jammu and Kashmir Lake Conservation and Management Authority (LCMA), the Tourism Department and the police to ensure strict compliance.

The court warned that any violation of the order would be treated as contempt of court, instructing the concerned officials to take stringent action against unauthorised operations.

“Solar boats and electric boats could be a solution for balancing the equities between tourism and the sustenance of lakes,” the Bench observed, highlighting the need to reconcile tourism-related activities with environmental protection.

The prohibition, however, does not extend to motorised boats deployed by the administration for emergency services, maintenance of law and order, and disaster management.

Emphasising the need for a balanced and uniform regulatory framework, the High Court noted that lake ecosystems have become an increasing environmental concern and require measures to prevent pollution while allowing tourism to operate responsibly.

The Bench also underscored the importance of ensuring fairness and consistency in policymaking, particularly in regulating activities that could adversely affect the lake’s fragile ecosystem.

During the proceedings, senior counsel BA Bashir and advocate Falak Bashir argued that motorboats, jet skis and other motorised watercraft posed a potential threat to Dal Lake’s ecological health. They urged the court to establish uniform, transparent and environmentally sound criteria for regulating such activities.

The counsel maintained that a protective and consistent approach was necessary to safeguard the lake from the harmful effects of motorised watercraft. The court’s intervention comes amid continuing concerns over the deterioration of Dal Lake, one of Kashmir’s most prominent tourist destinations and a defining feature of Srinagar’s landscape.

The lake has been under pressure from encroachments, construction along its periphery and the shrinking of its open-water area.

A report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) recorded a 10.15 per cent decline in the lake’s open-water area between 2007 and 2020, with the expanse reducing from 15.40 square kilometres to 12.91 square kilometres.

The latest order signals a renewed push towards limiting potentially polluting activities on the lake, with the court placing the responsibility on the authorities to enforce the restrictions and examine cleaner boating technologies.