Clean Dal Lake is new CRPFs motto in Kashmir

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) stationed in Srinagar has set up an Eco Task Force to clean the world famous Dal Lake, which is shrinking due to massive encroachments.

Srinagar, Oct. 3 : The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) stationed in Srinagar has set up an 'Eco Task Force' to clean the world famous Dal Lake, which is shrinking due to massive encroachments.

"This drive has been started during our anniversary month. We will continue it in future as well, so that we can contribute to keeping it clean and beautiful," said M. P. Nathanael, Deputy Inspector General, Operations, CRPF.

The residents have welcomed the initiative taken by the paramilitary forces and hope that it will continue in the future as well.

"The initiative taken by the paramilitary forces in this area is a welcome move. Dal Lake is a common agenda in everyone's mind here. It not only belongs to the people of Kashmir but to the people of the world," said Ghulam Rasool, President of the Zamindar Association Dal Lake.

Tests of water samples from Dal Lake have showed arsenic levels are almost 1,000 times above permissible levels.

The lake authority had said it would spend around 74 million dollars to clean up the drain clearage system and install a sewage cleaning plant.

It also plans to spend nearly 80 million dollars of Central funds to relocate 58 settlements around the lake to a 1,000-acre site a few miles inland. The first 300 families could be moved by the end of the year.

Authorities and many environmentalists blame these families for dumping rubbish, sewage and waste and creating landfills of mud and weed in the waters for farming land and floating gardens.

Dal Lake is connected to a number of other lakes of the Kashmir valley. It is well-known for its Shikaras or, house boats.

Spread over 18 square kilometers, the lake is divided by causeways into four basins, called Gagribal, Lokut Dal, Bod Dal and Nagin. Lokut-dal and Bod-dal have an island each in the centre, known as Rup Lank (or Char Chinari) and Sona Lank respectively.

ANI