The Dal Lake cleaning project, led by Ajaz Rashid with Goonj after the 2014 Kashmir floods, mobilized over 300 local participants across two major phases to manually extract more than 500 boatloads of invasive weeds and debris, restoring over 100,000 square meters of the lake area. The initiative used traditional eco-friendly methods, turning extracted weeds into cattle fodder and manure, while improving water quality and reducing waterborne diseases among local communities. Despite winter challenges including dense fog and cold, the sustained community-driven effort revived navigation channels and enhanced ecological health, fostering a model of participatory environmental restoration rooted in local knowledge and dignity-driven work.