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| Greet Omar for fresh central funding but is there any idea of previous funds | | CONSERVING WATER BODIES | | NIRBHAY JAMMUAL
Jammu, June 24: When Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, went round various lakes, including the Dal, Nigin, Mansbal, Anchar and Wuller along with the union Minister of state for environment and forests, Jairam Ramesh, the two only discussed the need for protecting and conserving the water bodies.
Neither Omar Abdullah informed the union Minister about the quantum of central funds that had been dumped for the development and conservation of some lakes, especially the Dal Lake, nor Jairam Ramesh inquired from the Chief Minister about the state allocation on the conservation of water bodies. Omar told the union Minister that the "time had come for taking a holistic view to protect the water bodies. "Does it mean that the time for protecting and developing the water bodies has come when Omar has occupied the seat of the Chief Ministership? Had not the opportunity come when lakes were encroached upon by people and no attempt was made at preventing the water bodies from meeting an early death owing to pollution? Had not the time been ever appropriate during the last 30 years when the diameter of the Dal Lake got squeezed from 17 sq.Kms to nine square kilometer? Was it not an appropriate time to take in hand steps for the conservation of lakes when the Anchar Lake ceased to exist?
It has been irony of fate that all the predecessors of Omar Abdullah had never stopped sermonising on the need for conserving and developing the water bodies in the state, especially in the Kashmir valley. It was Omar Abdullah's grand father, Sheikh Abdullah, who had, for the first time, taken in hand a small project for the conservation of the Dal Lake. Instead of waiting for the funds to flow from the centre the Sheikh had made a beginning by ordering construction of the foreshore round the Dal Lake. His idea was that once the foreshore was constructed all the houseboats moored in the centre of the lake would be shifted to the foreshore leaving the water body free from encroachment and pollution. Since late 70's atleast Rs.1,000 crores may have been spent on the development and conservation of the Dal Lake. The amount includes compensation which was given to those who had constructed houses on the lake and its backwaters. Despite this and inspite of manual and machine dredging the lake size has neither been increased nor it has been freed from weed and other pollutants and encroachment.
Over the years funds from various channels have flowed for the development of the Dal Lake. The state Government has been earmarking funds for its development. The central Government may have, so far, spent over Rs.100 crores on the lake development project in Kashmir. The World Bank had promised to release nine billion dollars for the devlopment Kashmir. Has the Government bothered to explain to people whether part of the World Bank funds were released or not. If not released what steps the state Government has taken to ensure early release. The Asian Bank too has earmarked funds for the development and conservation of the Dal Lake.Well it would be right if the Government constituted a committee of experts, to be headed by a non-state subject water conservation expert, which will examine whether the funds earmarked for the lake development project had been utilised properly or not.Let this committee also prepare a final Master plan for the development and conservation of not only the Dal Lake, but other lakes, including the Nigin, Mansbal, Mansar, Suruinsar, Wuller. Let this Committee examine whether it is possible or feasible or economically viable to restart conservation work on Anchar Lake which has ceased to exist for the last over 35 years. It is simply a runnel that connects Anchar with the other side of the lake. This very committee be authorised to streamline the fund utilisation programme so that whatever funds are released they are spent within the stipulated time. The state Government should not give an impression that the Lake conservation efforts were being initiated simply to pocket crores of rupees by politicians, bureaucrats, contractors and other agencies. Jairam Ramesh has promised to allocate Rs.1100 crores for the lake development project and it is upto the state authorities to ensure that these funds were utilised properly
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