Sukhna Lake thrown open for public

The famous Sukhna Lake here was reopened today, a month after the tourist spot was cordoned off in the wake of bird flu scare.
Government-owned Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Development Corporation (CITCO) had organised a number of events at the lake including a performance by a police band.
Top brass of the Chandigarh administration and regular walkers thronged the lake in the morning, braving thick fog and intense cold weather.
Signboards such as "Sukhna Lake Breathes Again" greeted the visitors today.
"It feels so good to be back for my routine morning walks at the lake. I have been a regular here for nearly past 30 years," said 75-year-old Jasjit Singh.

Boating, which remained the main attraction of the lake for past several years, will not resume until March, officials said.

Barricades had also been put up near the lake to instruct public from not going towards the water body.
On a normal day, the lake bustles with tourist activity along with scores of locals including top bureaucrats, who frequent the city's landmark for morning and evening walks.
However, the lake had been cordoned off a month ago and closed for public entry as a precautionary measure after at least 30 ducks and geese had died mysteriously.
One of the geese had later tested positive for the much- feared avian influenza.

According to an official of Chandigarh Tourism Department, before being closed for public, the lake used to attract nearly 8,000 tourists on weekdays and between 10,000 to 12,000 on weekends.