Srinagar: With the onset of Chilay-Kalan—the harshest 40-day winter period in Kashmir, Asia’s second-largest freshwater lake, Wular in northern Kashmir Saturday turned into a frozen expanse.
The freezing of Wular Lake has jeopardized thousands of fishing families who earn their primary livelihood from it.
The lake, known for its bounty of fish, lotus stems (Nadru) and chestnuts, supports numerous families in the region.
For decades, these resources have provided sustenance and income to the locals. However, for the first time in living memory, the lake has frozen to such an extent that even the extraction of Nadru, a challenging task during normal winters, has become impossible.
Earlier this month, fishermen and lotus stem collectors braved the sub-zero temperatures to extract Nadru from the lake, returning home each evening with bundles of their hard-earned harvest.
“We used to extract Nadru even in harsh winters, but this year, the lake is completely frozen. It feels like the lake has turned its back on us,” Abdul Rashid, a resident of Lankreshipora, Bandipora said.
He said that the frozen lake is not only an economic blow but also a cultural shock for the community, which has lived in harmony with Wular for generations.
“I have never seen Wular frozen like that in my 50 years. We were not prepared for this. The ice has taken away our livelihood,” said Gulzar Ahmad, another local fisherman.
He said that the locals have relied on traditional fishing methods and resource collection even in past winters, but the current conditions have rendered these practices ineffective.
He said that the frozen surface makes access to the water-body nearly impossible. “We don’t have alternative sources of income. This situation is pushing us into despair,” he said.
Notably, the extreme cold has heightened winter challenges for residents, freezing water bodies, water supply lines, and creating a layer of frost across the valley
