Srinagar: Former Jammu and Kashmir governor Karan Singh on Thursday urged the government to take up de-weeding of the Dal lake, saying the water body was the “glory of Kashmir” and it was extremely painful to see its steady deterioration.
The senior Congress leader said each year when he comes to Srinagar, he finds that the once magnificent Dal Lake has shrunk further.
“I have come this time after two years, and now even the area abutting the Boulevard is gradually also being covered by weeds. This is a tragedy because the Dal Lake was the glory of Kashmir and it is extremely painful to see its steady deterioration from the beautiful lake that it was when I was growing up,” Singh said in a statement.
Noting that over the decades several projects have been sanctioned to de-weed the lake and considerable sums of money were also allocated for this purpose, he said the situation has gone from bad to worse and it will now need a miracle to restore the Dal Lake to its lost glory.
“I understand, however, that there is a glimmer of hope. I believe there is a massive scheme which would involve huge investment over five years with international expertise to finally rid the lake of the aggressive weed growth,” the former Sadr-e-Riyasat of Jammu and Kashmir said.
He urged the government to give this matter top priority. PTI

Press Trust of India