Seeking restoration of Sukhna Lake, MP Manish Tewari has drawn attention of the Lok Sabha to the “alarming shrinkage” of the lake, caused by factors including “encroachment” in its catchment area.
Speaking under Rule 377 of the House, he said, “At the time of its creation, Sukhna Lake had a substantial water-spread area and depth and was designed to function as a major rainwater reservoir, aiding groundwater recharge, flood control and ecological balance of the region. Over the years, however, the size, depth and water-holding capacity of the lake have reduced drastically due to unchecked siltation.”
Tewari argued that despite repeated warnings by experts, proper and scientific desilting of the lake has not been undertaken in a sustained manner. “No serious desilting has taken place since the late 1980s when the then governor (late) Siddarth Shankar Ray had led an aggressive Shramdan with participation of people, especially school students, to de-silt the lake over the decades. As a result, large portions of the lake have become shallow and prone to drying,” he said.
“Simultaneously, illegal construction and encroachments in the catchment area of the lake have increased significantly, obstructing natural drainage channels and accelerating silt inflow into the lake. Even the Supreme Court expressed concern regarding the deteriorating condition and shrinking water levels of Sukhna Lake,” he mentioned.
According to Tewari, the central government should take urgent, coordinated and time-bound action to remove illegal constructions, restore and secure the catchment area, carry out comprehensive desilting and implement long-term ecological restoration measures to protect the water body.