The Lakes and Waterways Development Authority of the Jammu and Kashmir Government has launched a massive drive to de-silt and remove encroachments from existing water channels to ensure both regular water supply and to give a boost to the state's tourism sector.
The anti-encroachment drive has been started after pressure was put on the authority to end the consistent choking of the world famous Dal Lake and canals linked to it.
The authorities have so far managed to restore the Taelbal and Shalimar water channels, which now bring fresh water into the Dal Lake.
They are also planning to beautify these channels and make them more presentable.
Local residents such as Bashir Ahmed, Abdul Rehman and Suhail Ahmed expressed their happiness over the anti-encroachment drive, saying it would go a long way in ensuring suitable drinking water supply.
Bashir said, "I thank them for this approach. The water is now flowing smoothly into the Dal."
Abdul said, "Tourists visit this place and they use Shikaras to travel across the Dal Lake. We are thankful that it (the lake) has been cleaned."
Suhail said that he was appreciative of the efforts put by in by Assistant Executive Engineer Tariq Ahmed to remove the encroachments on and around existing water bodies in Srinagar and on its outskirts.
"We are thankful to him. The Dal Lake is a beauty of Kashmir. They (the authorities) have cleaned the lake.We are very happy," he said.
