When the Indian army was faced with lack of manpower, they resorted to advertisements in NCERT books. When the Conservation and Management Plan for Dal and Nigeen Lakes in the Valley was being chalked out, something similar was on the minds of the experts – usage of school textbooks for spreading awareness about preservation of water bodies in Kashmir.

In the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for Conservation and Management Plan for Dal-Nigeen Lakes, prepared by the Alternate Hydro Energy Centre of the University of Roorkee, there is a separate segment that delves into the importance of public awareness for saving the water bodies. It advocates “incorporation of lessons on environment especially on lake conservation in the school curriculum at the primary and secondary levels.”

However, the J-K Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA), an agency working for the preservation of water bodies in valley has not taken any steps in this direction.

The experts from Roorkee University, on other hand had an elaborate plan. The segment dealing with the public awareness plan reads, “The lessons to be incorporated can be specially written for LAWDA by experts and the State Ministry of Education may be encouraged to get them incorporated in the school text books as lessons in social sciences or language course syllabi.”

The DPR explains the importance of an awareness plan. “The success of any project depends upon the involvement, support and cooperation of the people who are project-affected. Dal-Nigeen Lake Conservation and Management Project is no exception.” It further elucidates, “It is hence essential that a project of this nature be participatory in nature and has the support of the local population who is going to be affected directly by the execution of the project. And this requires awareness be created at all levels about the need and objectives of the conservation project.”

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