Jammu & Kashmir: Lt Governor calls for zero release of sewage waste of household and commercial establishments into the lakes

Report from Kamran Rashid Bhat;

SRINAGAR, SEPTEMBER 29: Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha today stressed upon innovative and efficient measures for conservation and preservation of world-renowned Dal lake, Wular lake and other water bodies.

Effective Solid Waste Management shall be put in place not only for houseboats but for the whole Srinagar city for the holistic conservation of Dal lake, he added. He called for zero release of sewage waste of household and commercial establishments into Dal lake. He also stressed upon similar efforts for Wular Lake and Jhelum river since they are interconnected.

The Lt Governor was chairing a meeting with the Committee of Experts to deliberate on various important measures required to restore the ecosystem of Dal lake.

The meeting was attended by members of the Committee of Expert including Former MD, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation & Consultant to the CoE, Dr. E Sreedharan;Member Coordinator, CoE& Former Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Kerala, Dr. Nivedita P Haran; MD Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Ltd, Dr Mangu Singh; Adv. M.C. Mehta, Environmentalist, and other senior officers, through virtual mode.

The Lt Governor welcomed the suggestions and recommendations made by the CoE and said that all the vital inputs will play an imperative role in framing future action plan for the restoration of the lake. The CoE briefed the Lt Governor about major steps required for safeguarding and conservation of Dal lake.

A threadbare discussion was held on important issues like preventing sewage waste flowing into the lake, bio-digesters for all houseboats, demarcation of the lake’s boundary, empowering Lakes authority, putting a check on encroachment and its removal, sewage treatment plant for houseboats, rehabilitation, extending all the requisite facilities to tourists etc.

The Lt Governor laid special emphasis on formulating long term and short-term solutions and said that these solutions should go parallel for their effective implementation.

Preservation of the unique bio diversity of Dal lake is the top most priority of our Prime Minister and the UT Government is also committed to provide all the necessary support for the restoration of the ecosystem of the lake, he added.

He said that the implementation of all recommendations should be realistic and thrust shall be given on public-private participation. From project formation to implementation, all the authorities involved in the protection of Dal Lake to work in convergence mode for better coordination and shall be empowered for effective administration, he added.

In order to achieve results on the ground, there is a need to put rigorous efforts and fix responsibility for clearing the water bodies from encroachment and securing the banks of the lakes, besides ensuring that no illegal construction shall take place along the periphery and catchment areas of these water bodies, the Lt Governor maintained.

He further emphasized on carrying out the work on restoration, maintenance and preservation and other ancillary issues of the Dal Lake in consonance with the High Court directions and taking all the ecological factors into consideration.

Nitishwar Kumar, Principal Secretary to Lt Governor was also present during the meeting.