Early Summer Crisis: Sukhna Lake Dries Up, Chandigarh Administration Takes Action
Chandigarh is facing an environmental emergency as parts of Sukhna Lake have dried up prematurely, even before peak summer has arrived. The alarming situation has forced the Chandigarh administration to convene an urgent meeting of the Chandigarh Wetland Authority to discuss immediate corrective measures.
Visible Signs of Distress
This year, the first concerning indicators emerged at the regulatory end of Sukhna Lake, where visible cracks have appeared in the dried lakebed. Water has completely receded in this area, leaving behind a network of fissures on the exposed ground. The sandy bed is also clearly visible near the floodgates located at the regulatory end.
"Overall water level has dropped to 1,159 feet," revealed a UT official. "Generally, water level is at its lowest in June, but this year, it has started receding at the very onset of summers. This is particularly concerning as temperature this year is relatively lower than previous summers."
Expert Intervention and Management Plan
The administration has enlisted experts from the World Wide Fund for Nature-India (WWF-India) and Wildlife Institute of India (WII) to collaborate with local stakeholders including forest and engineering departments. Their focus is on implementing solutions such as desiltation to address the crisis.
Notably, WWF-India has formulated a comprehensive, sustainable management plan for Sukhna Lake, emphasizing catchment conservation, silt management, and water level regulation. The Sukhna Lake Management Plan (2025-2030) aims to conserve the 565-acre wetland through a five-year, multi-departmental approach.
Key Recommendations and Initiatives
The management plan includes several critical recommendations:
- Removal of check dams to restore natural flow from tributaries
- Establishing a silt load threshold for the lake
- Conducting regular bathymetry studies every three years
- Building silt retention dams and check dams in the hilly catchment area
- Formulating a detailed sediment restoration plan
- Enhancing ecological health across the 10,395-acre catchment area
The plan targets increasing water storage by 20% to 27% while regulating pollution through sustainable desilting practices.
Judicial Concerns and Legal Recognition
The deteriorating condition of Sukhna Lake has drawn sharp criticism from the Supreme Court. During a January hearing in the TN Godavarman Thirumulpad case, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant expressed strong concern, stating, "Aur kitna sukhaoge Sukhna Lake ko?" (How much more will you dry up Sukhna Lake?)
The apex court observed that the lake has been "completely damaged" and is "on the verge of destruction," attributing this to illegal constructions in the catchment area through collusion between state officials, builder mafia, and political entities in Punjab and Haryana.
In a landmark 2020 order, the Punjab and Haryana High Court declared Sukhna Lake a "legal entity/legal person"—the first such recognition for a lake in India. The court invoked the doctrine of parens patriae and declared all Chandigarh citizens as loco parentis to act as protectors for the lake's survival.
Historical Decline and Silt Accumulation
Continuous silt accumulation has caused a steady decline in Sukhna Lake's water storage capacity. No desilting operations have been undertaken for the past 20 years, with officials maintaining that major operations weren't necessary as the lake hadn't dried completely.
At its inception in 1958, the lake's storage capacity stood at 1,074 Ham (Hectare metre). This declined to its lowest point of 343 Ham by 1999 before reviving to 545 Ham by 2015—still only half of its original capacity.
Comprehensive Corrective Measures
The proposed corrective measures include:
- Sustainable desilting to address long-pending silt accumulation
- Soil and moisture conservation works in the hilly catchment
- Removal of select check dams and construction of silt retention structures
- Defining a "silt load threshold" and improving silt traps
- Scientific mapping of underwater depth every three years
- Measures to regulate lake water levels during deficit scenarios
- Improving ecological health across the catchment area
- Coordinated implementation under the Sukhna Lake Management Plan
The early drying of Sukhna Lake represents a significant environmental challenge for Chandigarh, requiring immediate and sustained intervention to preserve this vital wetland ecosystem for future generations.
