The Government of India has released Rs 289 crore for conservation and protection of different water bodies in Kashmir, Union Ministry for Environment has told the parliament.
In response to a written question by National Conference MPFarooq Abdullah, Union Minister of State for Environment, Babul Supriyoinformed the parliament that the Centre has released Rs 285 crore forconservation and management of Dal Lake so far.
Similarly, J&K Government has got Rs. 1.23 core and Rs3.31 core central assistance for Hokersar wetland and Wular lake respectivelyso far.
In a written reply to a separate question from anotherNational Conference MP, the Union Ministry has acknowledged that importantlakes in the summer capital Srinagar like Anchar, Khushalsar and Gilsar werefacing pollution owing to untreated sewerage, ending up in these water bodies.
However the Ministry has said that no proposal has been receivedfrom the State Government for revival of these three water bodies, whileinforming a centrally sponsored scheme – National Plan for Conservation ofAquatic Ecosystems (NPCA) – was under implementation for conservation andmanagement of identified wetlands across different states on cost sharing basisbetween Centre and respective State Governments.
A study carried by Department of Earth Science, KashmirUniversity, has revealed that Khushalsar and Gilsar have shrunk half theirsize.
The efforts for conservation of Dal have been beset with twomajor problems from the beginning – sewage flowing into the lake and failure torehabilitate Dal dwellers.