A year on,authorities hold back HUDA’s lake plan for Panchkula

In August last year,the HUDA had planned to construct a lake in Sector 24 in an area of about 20 acres with a budget of about Rs 15 crore. While the engineers in the HUDA,who have designed the lake,claimed to have sent the blueprint to the chief engineer as well as the chief administrator,they are still awaiting a nod from them.

Sources claim that senior officials are now having a rethink due to two reasons. How will the water requirement be met and is the lake big enough to hold water.

HUDA has decided to procure water from Nada and Nandana choes,which according to officials,have enough water for the lake. However,officials are thinking what if there is water shortage in the long run.

“There is sufficient water in both the choes but there can be shortage as well in the time to come. Keeping this in mind,we may bring in some changes in the source of water as well because of which the blueprint is being held up,” said a senior official in HUDA.

They are also worried about silting that may lead to drying up of the lake. “Water in Sukhna in Chandigarh has dried up because of silting which is what has made us sit up and take notice. We would not want this to happen to the lake in Sector 24,” said the official.

The lake,which would come up in Sector 24,is also proposed to have a recreational area comprising hotels and restaurants. HUDA had got a survey done by irrigation department at Roorkee for the plan.