Kashmir’s Manasbal Lake

Context

After a gap of 33 years, Manasbal Lake is once again open for training drills after raging militancy forced the Navy to abandon it.

• The Training area was suspended during the inception of militancy in the 1990s.
  
  
  

Key-points

• Over 100 National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets, both from J&K and outside, participated in exercises like sailing and boat pulling.
• The NCC has been working in J&K since 1965 and would train cadets on the shores of Dal lake and Manasbal Lake. 
• The security situation had forced us to shift the training module outside the Valley.
• The exercises, which also saw participation of female cadets, may help students from various parts of J&K interact with each other.
• Such exercises here will motivate locals to join the NCC in the future.

About Manasbal Lake

• The Manasbal Lake, located in central Kashmir's Safapora area in Ganderbal district.
• It’s a freshwater lake with picturesque hills and pristine waters. 
• The Mughal Garden, called the Jaroka Bagh, (meaning bay window) built by Nur Jahan overlooks the lake.
• Biodiversity: The lake is a good place for birdwatching.
• Flora: macrophytes and phytoplankton.
• Fauna: zooplankton, benthos and fish.
• Issues: Eutrophication (nutrient-induced increase in phytoplankton productivity) and pollution.

Other lakes in Kashmir

• Dal Lake, 
• Wular Lake, 
• Tarsar-Marsar Lakes