Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 21: Former Legislator, Convenor ICELA and Chairman JBM, Ashok Sharma today suggested that the Government of India should formulate Jhelum Basin Mega Project for restoration, rehabilitation and management of world famous Dal Lake.
While addressing as a special invitee in the conference, organized by Kashmir Economic Alliance here today, he said that the Dal Lake was 75 sq km about 200 years back, 25 sq.km in 1980 and has now reduced to 18 sq.km besides turning highly polluted despite spending more than Rs 1100 crore by the Union and local dispensations, which is a matter of serious concern.
Sharma added that the Municipal waste discharge of Srinagar township, denudation of green cover in catchment areas, unsuccessful de-weeding coupled with encroachment have played havoc of which 2014 September floods is one of the tragedies wherein 255 people died and thousands badly suffered despite many hollow slogans of ‘Save Dal Lake’.
The former Legislator opined that the treatment of the catchment area of Dachigam alone cannot restore the glory of the famous lake. “There are about 200 tributaries which join the river Jhelum and the river Chenab. Unless, Jhelum and Chenab Basins, both watersheds coupled with each tributary, catchment area are to be treated as Micro Projects on Integrated Catchment Area Management Basis within the Jhelum Basin and Chenab Basin Mega Projects, the ecology of the Dal Lake in isolation cannot be restored,” he explained.
“This requires multi- dimensional integrated management with eco-friendly approach and economic upliftment of the residents of the area by involving Government departments like Forests, Soil Conservation, Horticulture, Agriculture, Water Resources, Ground Water Board, Irrigation and Flood Control, Social Forestry, Wildlife, etc under the command of one authority after formulating a mega project on Integrated Watershed Management basis,” he added.
The galaxy of experts who shared their wisdom included Chairman Kashmir Economic Alliance, Mohd Yousef Chapri, Mohd Farooq Dar, Co-Chairman, former Legislator M R Qureshi, former Addl Advocate General Mohd Usman Salaria, Dr Haroon Salaria, Advocate Arjun Sharma and Khalid Dorani.
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