Srinagar, August 11 (Scoop News)-N. N. Vohra, Governor, reviewed the implementation of the various components of the Dal-Nageen Lake Conservation and Management Project at a detailed presentation made by Irfan Yasin, Vice Chairman, Lakes and Waterways Development Authority, at Raj Bhavan here.
The Governor emphasized the need for closely involving various elements of the civil society, particularly senior school and college and university students for spreading awareness about the urgent need for conservation of Dal, Nageen, Manasbal, Wullar and other lakes and water bodies in all regions of the State. In this context, he also referred to the progressive encroachments and pollution being caused in the Surinsar and Mansar lakes. The Governor reiterated his earlier exhortation that every present stakeholder must understand and accept that their interests shall extinguish altogether if there is no Dal left. It is, therefore, their bounden duty to fight for and protect this fascinating heritage which attracts lakhs of tourists, from within the country and abroad, to visit Kashmir.
While reviewing the progress on the Sewage and Sewerage Treatment, Hydraulic Works, Catchment Management Works, Restoration and Development, Rehabilitation and Resettlement of the Dal dwellers and other aspects of the Dal-Nageen Lake Conservation and Management Project, the Governor stressed the vital importance of each component of the Project being simultaneously implemented within the envisaged time frames if the Dal lake was to be saved.
While reviewing the implementation of the Rehabilitation and Resettlement Project for Dal dwellers, the Governor recalled the extensive discussions which he earlier had with the then concerned functionaries, about the crucial importance of ensuring that there was no delay whatsoever in developing tenements/plots, alongwith all required civic amenities, and ensuring that the Dal was early cleared of all habitations and restored to its pristine glory.
The Governor also reiterated the crucial importance of all required steps being taken to most effectively ensure that the wastes generated by the houseboats stationed along the various sides of the lake do not pollute the lake.
The Vice Chairman of the Lakes and Waterways Development Authority, in his power point presentation, briefed the Governor about the to-date status of each of the components of the Project and the time schedule for their completion. He stated that out of 27.90 km main trunk sewers, 26.05 km have been completed while the remaining 1.85 km will be completed by September this year. Similarly, 5 intermittent pumping stations have been commissioned while the remaining 5 will be completed by September this year. He further said that 5 Sewage Treatment Plants also stand commissioned.
Referring to the development plan of Rakh-i-Arth, Yasin stated that out of 7,526 kanals of land made available for establishing a housing colony for the Dal dwellers, 4,000 kanals would be under plots, 1082 kanals under roads, 175 kanals under commercial establishments, 50 kanals under institutions, 438 kanals under nodal facilities, 150 kanals under education and health facilities, 189 kanals under play fields, parks and incidental spaces, 50 kanals for religious purpose, 340 kanals for graveyards, 52 kanals for sewage treatment plants and the remaining 1,000 kanals would be the wetlands.
Yasin said that 2,532 structures are being acquired in the Dal Lake, of which only 868 have been so far acquired. He said in addition to this, 631 structures are also proposed to be acquired from Saida Kadal and Ashai Bagh side of the Lake.
The Governor has accepted Yasin’s suggestion to early tour the entire lake area to get a first hand view of the work already done.
MORE AT http://scoopnews.in/det.aspx?q=31171