Algae choke Hauz Khas lake

The maintenance and restoration of the lake has changed hands several times. Till recently,the lake’s restoration was with INTACH and to augment the lake’s water supply,treated sewage water from Vasant Kunj was let into the lake.

This was,however,stopped after residents complained that the water in the lake had started stinking. Now,the DDA has roped in private contractors to clean the lake,who haven’t been able to restore the lake either.

In 2003,the High Court ordered that six major lakes in Delhi — Ladpur,Karala,Haus Shamsi,Hauz Khas,Harinagar and Mayapuri lake — be restored as tourist spots. Six years later,the Hauz Khas lake is being advertised as a natural tourist spot. The boats at the Hauz Khas lake,however,lay unused.

Labourers who clean the lake daily told Newsline that they have got rashes due to contact with the lake’s water. “The lake would stink when water from Vasant Kunj was put in here. Now,the water doesn’t stink so much but its levels are certainly low. When we go inside the lake,it irritates the skin,” a worker said.

Traditionally,the lake was fed by stormwater channels from the Aravallis. To restore and to remove the algae,ecologists say,water must be added to the lake. Higher levels of algae indicate an unhealthy aquatic eco-system.

“This lake was made by Khilji Sultan Alaudin in 1296 and is part of Delhi’s natural heritage. It’s unfortunate that though the lake’s restoration was started,there is no scientific method of dealing with it. The plans were just abandoned mid way. This is despite the fact that the High Court Monitoring Committee under the Chief Secretary is supposed to look at the restoration and the upkeep of the lakes,” said Vinod Jain,a member of NGO Tapas,which is involved in environmental campaigning.