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CAG: 74% of Kashmir's Lakes Are Disappearing

A man smokes a hookah pipe while collecting garbage and plastic waste from the waters of Dal Lake in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 11, 2026. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India reports that nearly 74 percent of Kashmir's lakes have either vanished or are shrinking, with 518 out of 697 water bodies affected. This includes 315 that have disappeared and 203 that have reduced in size, resulting in a loss of 2,851 hectares since 1967 due to factors such as climate change and encroachments. (Photo by Firdous Nazir/NurPhoto)

Photo ID	#13560879
Date Taken	10 April 2026
Location	N/A
Photographer	Firdous Nazir/NurPhoto
Category	Environmental Issue
Copyright	© 2026 NurPhoto - Firdous Nazir/NurPhoto

hookah pipe garbage collection plastic waste Dal Lake Srinagar Jammu and Kashmir April 11 2026 Comptroller and Auditor General of India red alert Kashmir lakes alarming condition vanished lakes shrinking lakes water bodies 518 affected water bodies 315 disappeared lakes 203 reduced lakes massive loss 2 851 hectares since 1967 climate change encroachments Firdous Nazir NurPhoto environmental impact water conservation lake preservation waste management pollution ecological crisis natural resources habitat loss sustainability ecosystem degradation.