Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 9: Government today claimed that an area of about 43.6 hectares of Wullar Lake is under encroachment in the Kashmir valley.
In a written reply to a question in the Legislative Council, Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh said that an area of about 43.6 hectares is under encroachment within Wullar Lake and these families will have to shift from the lake area.
He said that in this regard eviction notices have already been issued, starting from Kanyari village.
The Revenue Department has already moved a proposal in which nearly 20 acres of land has been identified outside the lake for rehabilitation of the affected families, besides demarcation of the lake has been carried out as per Revenue records and stands completed to the extent of 98 per cent, he said.
He further said that 130 square kilometers of the lake is demarcated physically with the help of demarcation pillars. A comprehensive management plan for the conservation of Wullar Lake was formulated and work on the project was started in 2011-12.
It is worthwhile to mention here that Wullar Lake is the largest fresh water lake in Asia, located in Bandipora district of Kashmir, about 34 km north of Srinagar city.