Hopeful to clear area in next one year, indigenous machine being procured on trial basis: VC LAWDA
Owais Gul
Srinagar, Jul 22 (KNO): After two decades, Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA) have started dredging of world famous Dal Lake’s Tailbal basin.
The officials hoped that the settling basin at Tailbal will be completely desilted in next one year.
Talking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Vice Chairman LAWDA, Tufail Mattoo said that the dredging was going in the world famous Dal Lake at other places. “But, soon after I assumed the charge, I started discussing the de-weeding issue with the scientists. I came to know that the dredging process has not taken place at Tailbal settling basin from the last many years,” he said.
He added that as 70 per cent water of Dal Lake comes from the Mahadev top, adding that before reaching the lake, the waters pass through denuded mountains carrying tons of silt and nutrients with it and the dredging at this particular settling basin will help in removing the weeds at the initial stage of entering into the Dal Lake.
Mattoo further stated that they are putting every effort to desilt the weeds, especially Lily pad, adding that they are hopeful that in the next one year, the dredging process will be fully completed at Tailbal settling basin. “The work is going on at pace,” he added.
However, he said that the presence of Lilly pad is a problem, saying that the manual force has been working tirelessly to remove it. “We are procuring an indigenous machine to remove the Lilly pads from Dal Lake. The decision to procure the machine was taken by the committee of experts. The machine would likely start working from August 15 on the Nishat and Hazratbal side of the Dal Lake,” he said.
He added that the machine is being procured on trial basis, adding that more such machines will be procured if the results will be good—(KNO)
