J-K sets Rs 180-cr Wular plan rolling

Last year, the Chief Minister had convened a meeting and told experts that the records should be tallied to demarcate the area of the lake. Now that the mapping of the lake is over, work will begin on its demarcation and conservation.

Under the Rs 180-crore plan for conservation and demarcation of the lake, the government has said the eviction of the encroachments will also be taken up. The government has identified, through a survey, that around 6,000 kanals of this freshwater lake has been encroached.

Further, officials say a large part of the lake has been encroached upon by the government itself as many of its offices are located around it.

As part of the Tulmul navigation project which would have facilitated transport of goods, the government wanted to store the water of this lake to increase its level that would have made the water transportation easier. Objections were raised and the plan was temporarily shelved.

Several tourist spots fall along the Wular Lake and their beautification will be part of the conservation efforts. ‘‘We will also have to displace many people living around the lake but they will be rehabilitated later,’’ state Forest Minister Ghulam Mohidin Sofi said.

The government’s plan will also focus on beautification of adjoining areas such as Watlab. Treatment plants will be constructed around the lake to save it from shrinkage besides dredging of the silt load on its bed.