SRINAGAR — Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday informed the Legislative Assembly that several measures are being taken for the preservation and restoration of Dal Lake, including regular deweeding, waste collection and mechanical dredging.
Responding to a question on the preservation of water bodies, the Chief Minister said continuous manual deweeding and solid waste collection are being carried out in the internal channels of Dal Lake.
He said mechanical dredging has also been undertaken in major areas, including the stretch from Dol Damb to Meena Bazar, besides Khushalsar and Gilsar.
To prevent sewage from entering the lake, five Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) are currently operational, while an additional 30 MLD STP is being constructed at Gupt Ganga to cater to the northern side of Dal Lake.
The Chief Minister further said sewerage projects related to Dal Lake are being handed over to the Urban Environmental Engineering Department (UEED) as part of a unified management approach.
He added that further mechanical dredging of the lake’s interior channels is also planned. — (KIMS)