Omar asks scientists to explore potential of Dal weeds

Hundreds of tonnes of weed are extracted from the Dal Lake every year as authorities make efforts to preserve and conserve the water body under a Centrally-sponsored package involving a cost of over Rs 350 crore.

Addressing the meeting of Scientific Advisory Committee to the Chief Minister (SAC-CM) yesterday, Omar asked the panel to find out a scientific mechanism for utilising large quantity of weeds available in the Dal Lake to produce energy.

The extracted weed is used as fertiliser by farmers who pay some token money to the waterway authority.

Omar also emphasised on the need for creating scientific temperament in the young generation.

"This is all the more needed to open new avenues of economic growth and generate employment," he said.

Omar said the pilot projects started by Indian Institute of Integrative Medicines (IIIM) to encourage pharma and aroma sectors in Jammu and Kashmir should be converted into larger projects to harness available potential in these fields.