Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo today held a meeting of Wular Conservation & Management Authority (WUCMA) to make assessment of the measures taken for cleaning and beautification of the waterbody besides increasing tourist footfall to the largest fresh water lake in the country. Besides ACS Forest Department, the meeting was attended by Chairman, JK Pollution Control Committee; Secretary, R&B; Chief Executive Director, WUCMA; DC, Baramulla/Bandipora besides other concerned officers.
The Chief Secretary took this occasion to impress upon the Authority to make strenuous efforts to cleanse the whole lake area besides acting tough against the encroachers. He also enquired about the beautification works executed by the Department to increase footfall of tourists to this lake.
He exhorted upon the lake authorities to pace-up the ongoing works besides creating other facilities there to woo the tourists. Dulloo maintained that the water body is a picturesque location studded with many of the popular sites in its periphery.
He observed that the place has a great potential for development and could come-up as a great tourist attraction in the valley. He told the DCs to give assistance to the lake Authority to make it best location in terms of facilities and scenic beauty existing there.
On this occasion, the ACS Forests, Dheeraj Gupta, remarked that the Department has taken several steps to improve the overall ecosystem of the lake. He also gave out that the three focus areas for the Department are Dredging whole lake area, updation of management plan and tourism promotion to bring livelihood to the locals residing there.
It was revealed that the JKPCC is continuously monitoring the pollution levels in the lake and suggesting measures to tackle it. It was made out that the solid waste management is given the prime focus for the same is the primary detriment for the lake waters.
It was further disclosed that the total lake area is around 130 sqkms and the entire periphery of 84 kms has been demarcated by geo-tagged boundary pillars. It was added that so far 11 kms of vulnerable boundry has been consolidated by bunds/chain-link fencing and this year, the Department is contemplating to cover 15 more kilometers of such boundary to evict the encroachers.
Moreover, it was revealed that 5 sqkms of lake area has been dredged so far at a cost of Rs 196 Cr and 22 sqkms more critically silted area is to be dredged now. It was said that a revenue based model is being worked out to take the task towards completion.
Regarding the generation of livelihoods through tourism promotion, it was given out that construction of 2.5 kms non-motorable walkway is under execution through R&B Department which is expected to be completed by October this year. The meeting was further apprised that a Delta Park at Baniyari and Dyke Park at Garoora are also under progress.
The installation of water fountains near vantage are going to be completed this year along with extending the walkway by another 2.5 kms upto Vantage from Naz Nallah and developing Watlab, Adipora-Ninglee cycle track. Regarding the pollution control measures it was given out that installation of 5 real time water quality monitoring system through JK PCC/ DEERS would be commissioned during this year.
In addition, out of 23 inlets that bring water, 6 are prioritized for treatment using artificial wetlands technology. WUCMA is partnering with RUDA for Solid waste management which will include collection, segregation and disposal of solid waste on scientific lines. In the first phase, 3 villages (S.K Payeen, Garoora and Zurimanz) are taken as pilot during the current year, the meeting was informed.