LAHORE, June 25: The Punjab forestry, wildlife, fisheries and tourism department has taken up the task to preserve and beautify the Kallar Kahar lake.

The FWFTD and Chakwal district government have demarcated 3,300-kanal lake land of which around 250 kanals have been encroached by the locals.

Most of the lake land is dry while the little available water, which comes through sewers, is being drained into the lake by the local population.

A feasibility report on preservation and beautification of the Kallar Kahar has been prepared by Nespak. The first phase of the project will be completed at a cost of Rs50 million.

The Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab would be the sponsoring and focal agency of the project, FWFTD Secretary Sajid Husain Chattha said while chairing the review meeting of the project and briefing the Lahore-based journalists at Kallar Kahar district council rest house on Wednesday.

He said the Kallar Kahar had a fine history which could not be preserved despite active involvement of different agencies and the government.

“Now instead of looking towards the government or donor agencies, the FWFTD has decided to develop its own capacity and then attract the Punjab government and donor agencies to participate in the improvement of the project,” he said.

He said the FWFTD held a meeting of stakeholders, including the TDCP, Nespak, Chakwal government and the WWF, at Kallar Kahar on April 22, and took certain decisions. The department also decided to involve journalists so that they could monitor the progress of the project and point out lapses, he added.

According to the decisions, Chief Conservator Forests (North Zone) Dr Muhammad Arshad had been asked to prepare a workable plan for tree plantation.

The CCF (North Zone), who is also the Kallar Kahar Green Area project director, told the participants that 2,000 plants had been planted on the eastern side of the lake while 10,000 more would be planted after July 15.

EDO (agriculture) Iftikhar Qureshi said a plan to plant fruit trees on eight acres here had also been envisaged. He added that sweet soil should be brought to the area for effective plantation of fruit trees.

Regarding the decision to remove encroachments on about 250 kanals of lake land, Chakwal District Nazim Sardar Ghulam Abbas said the lake’s original boundaries had been demarcated, and encroachers were being made aware of the project and asked to vacate the land. He said the sewerage water being drained into the lake would also be converted. The funds for the project would be approved in the next district council meeting, he said.

About raising the water level in the lake, the officials were informed that silt had accumulated in the lake over the years, and there might be some digging required to maintain four to five feet water depth.

According to WWF Pakistan Director-General Ali Habib, the digging should be graded as three feet depth would be enough near banks of the lake. He said the construction of water regulatory near Barpur chowk would be helpful in retaining the required water in the lake.

Nespak General-Manager Muhammad Ilyas Malik suggested that the government should stop the operation of motorboat in the lake, as oil leakages created pollution and caused threat to marine life. However, there was no harm in operation of the paddle boats, he added.

The district government had been asked also to develop new access roads and beautify the existing roads and install streetlights there, establish public toilets, commercialize the district council rest house, market the local products and handicrafts and to develop a ground for camping and huts.

While the WWF had been asked to install the signage to educate and guide visitors about the environment and protection of the area.

Chakwal District Police Officer Zaman Langrial said the police in collaboration with the district government would take measures for the safety of the visitors.

Meanwhile, the TDCP has opened its Tourist Information Centre in front of its resort to offer information through brochures and other material on the area to the locals and visitors. The TIC was formally inaugurated by the FWFTD secretary.

TDCP Managing-Director Rais Abbas Zaidi said the TIC would also serve as a shop to sell handicrafts and other local items. He added that the TDCP tourist resort had also been made tidy.

Mr Zaidi said the spring’s water of the area had been tested by the PCSIR laboratories and found a natural mineral water. The TDCP would promote this water as a mineral water and use it for commercial purpose, he said.

District Nazim Sardar Ghulam Abbas also inaugurated the 2.25-kilometre hiking track named after Chakwal DCO Sajjad Saleem Hotiana, who had designed and developed the track.