BANDIPORA: Union Secretary of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (EF&CC), Leena Nandan, on Friday visited Bandipora and inspected Wular Lake conservation works being taken up by Wular Conservation and Management Authority (WUCMA).
Union Secretary was accompanied by the Principal Secretary Forests Department, Dheeraj Gupta, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Chief Executive Director of WUCMA, Deputy Commissioner Bandipora, Dr. Owais Ahmed, SSP Bandipora Lakshay Sharma, Coordinator of WUCMA, DFO Bandipora, and other senior officers of the district.
Union Secretary inspected various conservation and ecotourism work being carried out by Wular Conservation and Management Authority.
Chief Executive Director (CED) WUCMA briefed the Union Secretary about the progress made in the conservation process including dredging operations being carried out in different sections of the lake besides informing about future plans for developing Wular as a top tourism destination.
It was informed that the dredging work was carried out in critically silted portions of the lake under which an area of 3.10 square kilometers was de-silted under the Wular Action Plan thus enhancing the water holding capacity of the lake significantly.
The CED also briefed about the nature of catchment conservation works, biodiversity conservation works and eco-tourism development works that have been taken up under the Wular Action Plan including the construction of a non-motorable road (pathway) around the lake.
The officers said that Wular Lake is a valuable asset not only for the district but for the whole of UT and if the tourism potential here is exploited fully, it will entirely change the socio-economic condition of the local population of the district. They informed that there is a huge potential for Water Sports besides having huge fish stocks in the lake. The administration also intends to develop a golf club on one of the islands inside the Wullar, they added.
Union Secretary was appreciative of the work taken up by the authority and said that the Union Government has prioritized the conservation of this famous Lake with a focus on tapping the vast ecotourism potential of the site.
She assured that the Union government will extend adequate funding for all requisite works needed to be executed in the lake for its development and beautification.
