An acronym is working against this Kashmir water bodies organisation

The problem with acronyms is that, sometimes, they read as words with a legitimate reference in the dictionary, and every once in a while, that word itself is controversial. 

For example, back in 2015, Pakistan and China had announced the launch of a new think-tank to focus on the development of their economic corridor, CPEC. Unfortunately enough, the name “Research and Development International” ended up with the acronym RANDI (a derogatory word for sex workers). 

Another such acronym, often used as an expletive, is that of the Jammu & Kashmir Lakes and Waterways Development Authority. It’s LAWDA – a rather crude word for the male genitalia in Hindi.

The Jammu & Kashmir Lakes and Waterways Development Authority was created by the government of J&K as an autonomous body under development Act, 1970, to look after, manage and conserve water bodies and waterways of the state. The management of the Dal Lake is one of the core responsibilities of the organisation.

Barely a month ago, the enforcement wing of Lakes and Waterways Development Authority restored a patch of Brari Numbal Lagoon, which was encroached upon by the violators. They also recently demolished several illegal structures along the Teilbal Nalla, Saidakadal and Shalimar area.

And while they serve a very, very important function, especially considering the deteriorating condition of water bodeis in India (30,730 million cubic metres of effluents in water bodies annually), every time this body in the news, the spotlight shifts to the acronym and not the efficacy of the organisation.

Even today, when ANI news tweeted about the Lakes and Waterways Development Authority cleaning the Dal Lake in Srinagar, the Twitterati's sole focus was on the acronym and the meaning of the sentence, in context of the cuss word:

Yes, there have been countless suggestions by people to use a different acronym for the organisation. But here’s the catch: the Lakes and Waterways Development Authority does not use this phallic reference at all.

According their website, which is called JKLDA (dot) com, the most commonly the acronym used by them is just that: JKLDA or LDA. Additionally, according to The Teamwork, the acronym used for the same organisation is JKLWDA or LWDA. 

Surprisingly though the acronym has definitely been used by both the national media, and the Kashmiri media on several occasions over several years.

Hopefully, some day, there will be an official change or clarification on the acronym. Till then, we will have to suffer headlines like “LAWDA in slumber”, “LAWDA Is destroying buildings in Kashmir”, and “HC directs LAWDA to act promptly”.

Also read - To cow my mata, this Mother's Day is for you