In troubled waters: lakes battle for life

The UT Administration made its own contributions and created a number of other lakes in the city. There are now plans to spend around Rs 5 crore on the development of these new lakes. The aim is to enhance their beauty and present them as main tourist attractions.

What is amiss, however, is a proper plan to tackle problems that exist with the Sukhna and the new lakes alike.

Sukhna Lake
Environmentalists in the city say that the biggest question is whether the Sukhna would survive beyond a decade. They fear that the lake may become extinct in the near future for want of water. The lake has already lost around 66 per cent area and water storage capacity due to siltation. Dead fish were also found from its surface recently.
Former chief engineer of the Punjab Irrigation Department, Dr G S Dhillon, says: 8220;There has been no flow of water into the Sukhna from the catchment area. A number of check dams had been built here to prevent silt from entering its waters. The radial gates are, however, leaking and water flows out continuously.8221;
While the Administration has been regularly coming up with innovative ideas for the Sukhna 8212; organising laser shows and astroturf, to introducing glass bottom boats and bird houses 8212; what is perhaps required is a constructive plan to help the lake battle siltation.

New Lake in Sector 42
The recently inaugurated lake has been engulfed with problems from Day 1. Created with an aim to give the residents a place to hold religious ceremonies, maintaining cleanliness has become a major problem here.
The Administration spent around Rs 3.2 crore for the creation of the lake. However, since it does not receive water from any natural source, the lake has to be filled up from tubewells. While the lake is only 3-feet deep, a part of it is already dry.
S P Malhotra, former chief engineer, Haryana Irrigation Department, says: 8220;The water management of this newly constructed lake is unsatisfactory. The lake is to be filled with tubewell water which is very expensive. Even then its bed has not been made seepage proof. The entire water put into it is lost by seepage. This could be prevented by spreading a layer of city garbage rich in polythene waste and covering it with a suitable thickness of compacted soil.8221;

Lake in Dhanas
What this lake suffers from is its location in an obscure part of the city. While attempts are afloat to promote it as a tourist destination, being the town completely away from any tourist spots, it does not figure in the itinerary of many tourists. Security is also a concern at the lake. The few visitors to the lake feel that the approaching road is not safe as the area is not well lit. While plans were announced to develop the area, nothing has materialised as yet.

Officialspeak
UT Home Secretary Ram Niwas says the Administration has extensive plans for the development of tourist spots in the city. 8220;The lake in Sector 42 has just been created. It is facing those teething problems which will be taken care of. We have made plans for better illumination as well as landscaping of the lake. The problems of Sukhna would also be looked into. There are plans on the anvil for an island as well as a regulatory end to attract more tourists.8221;