J&K pulls out all stops for 'Dal conservation'

Buoyed by centre's approval of the 'Rs 300 crore Dal lake conservation project', the Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to setup three additional sewage treatment plants to prevent the flow of untreated water into the world famous lake.

The plants at Hazratbal, Habak and Nishat will completely choke the flow of untreated water into the lake, a star attraction for tourists, state tourism minister Gulam Hassan Mir said after the 15th meeting of board of directors of Lakes and Water ways Development Authority (LAWDA) here yesterday.

The three plants, work on which is already underway are expected to be commissioned next month, he said.

Based on the advance treatment technology that releases treated effluents back into the lake, they will together treat 15 million litres of sewage that flows into the lake from its peripheral areas in a single day.

Centre has cleared the Conservation and Management plan of the Dal and Nageen lake at the cost of Rs 298.70 crores which shall facilitate implementation of the project for restoring the health of the lake in the next five years, Mir said.

First Published: Sep 27, 2005 12:37 IST