Bandipora, Indian-administered Kashmir – Surrounded by the majestic Himalayas, Lake Wullar in Indian-administered Kashmir’s Bandipora district is one in all Asia’s largest freshwater lakes.

The lake that produces styles of fish, water chestnuts and fodder in addition to serving as a habitat for migratory waterbirds, offers livelihood to almost 32,000 households within the 40 villages surrounding it for generations.

Shortly after midnight, Kashmiri fisherwomen, depending on the lake for survival, depart in rows of boats to fish and gather chestnuts.

However they’ve causes to fret now because the lake’s situation deteriorates steadily attributable to rising air pollution within the space, inflicting many types of fish to vanish.

Hajra Begum, 45, a fisherwoman in Lankeshpora village, leaves house when most of her members of the family are asleep and rows for hours within the lake.

Till just a few years in the past, her arduous work would fetch her a ship stuffed with chestnuts and kilograms of fish, serving to her livelihood. However she says the amount of each has drastically dwindled, inflicting her misery.

“Our future is unsure as a result of the lake is helpless. If it dies, we are going to die with it,” she informed Al Jazeera. “We’re in grief as a result of the supply of our livelihood is in a horrible situation. We’re affected each bodily and mentally.”

The job of the fisherwomen isn’t simple. Many complain of varied illnesses, together with mouth ulcers, blistering, fungal infections and physique ache attributable to lengthy hours of fishing within the lake. Additionally they endure harsh sunburn and melasma.

“My palms swell and I usually get pores and skin rashes and fungal an infection,” Hajra stated.

Her three daughters are college dropouts and assist her in her work and promoting the produce out there.

“We won’t have meals on the desk if we don’t exit. We simply need this lake to be protected in order that our livelihood is saved,” she stated.

Giant components of the lake are lined with silt, polyethene and different stable waste.

A 2018 examine by Agro Economist, a global science journal, stated within the final 100 years, the lake has shrunk by 45 p.c from 157.74 sq. kilometres (60.9 sq. miles) in 1911 to 86.71 sq. kilometres (33.48 sq. miles) in 2007.

Whereas some styles of fish have disappeared through the years, many others, consultants say, are endangered.

“Earlier, we earned nicely. A day would imply a superb amount of fish and chestnuts. However we’re in 70 p.c loss now as fish and chestnuts have declined with all of the waste like polythene and drainage waste being thrown into it. We really feel unhappy and devastated,” fisherwoman Ayesha Begum informed Al Jazeera.

The dwindling catch has led the fisherwomen to search for one other job. However many say their previous age makes it arduous to seek out work.

Fisherfolk say the lake, being the most important flood basin within the area. additionally saves them from flooding. Research present the way forward for the freshwater physique is at stake as massive components of it have been transformed into agricultural land.

There have been unlawful constructions and plantation of timber contained in the lake, inflicting huge siltation and discount in its water-holding capability.