Desiltation of Khajjiar lake begins

Pratibha Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 20

Based on the technical advice from Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, the Forest Department has finally begun work on de-sitling the picturesque Khajjiar lake in Chamba district, already reduced to one fourth of its original size.

The Council for Science, Environment and Technology, has sanctioned Rs 48 lakh for the task but owning to the technicalities and the fact that it is an ecologically fragile area, the wildlife wing of the Forest Department has decided to tread very cautiously even if it meant delay in execution of the work.

The lake ecosystem has been threatened due to rapid anthropogenic alterations and was losing its water spread area. Siltation, weed infestation, faulty flushing mechanism, indiscriminate grazing and subsequent soil erosion have contributed to the problem.

Being a major tourist attraction, Khajjiar lake near Dalhousie attracts tourists from across the country and abroad. However, the very existence of the lake has been threatened due to silt and weeds which had not only resulted in its shrinking but it has become shallow.

“Our endeavour is to restore the lost glory of the Khajjiar lake by removing the slit and weeds while ensuring there is no ecological damage to the lake,” asserts Archana Sharma, Principal Chief Conservator Forest (PCCF), Wildlife. She visited the lake site at Khajjiar yesterday to oversee the work being undertaken at the site.

The WII, in its report, advised taking up the restoration work in stages involving de-siltation, de-weeding, reducing influx of nutrient and floating debris, maintenance of water level, management of the meadow and comprehensive ecological assessment to frame management plan.

“The fact that most of the de-silting has to be done manually and not through machines makes the task even more arduous. We cannot undertake scrapping as the lake has natural undulations that provide habitat complexity,” explained Sharma.

The forest officials engaged in the work point out that the disposal of the dredge material in an environment friendly manner is being undertaken painstakingly so as to ensure that there is no damage to the lake.

The WII has recommended that the de-weeding be carried out before the onset of monsoon and after the migratory season for the wetland birds. It has also been recommended that a fine iron screen be installed at strategic locations in the inlet points of the lake to prevent flow of organic degradable material from the surrounding area.

With a sizeable number of locals being dependent on tourism for their livelihood, the taking up of the restoration work has brought cheers to the villagers. They feel that minus the lake, Khajjiar would lose its charm and with no other alternative livelihood, they would face economic crisis. Khajjiar Lake is wetland of national importance situated in the Khajjiar- Kalatop Wildlife Sanctuary and is popularly referred to as Mini Switzerland. It is inhabited by several fish species and 77 bird species. 

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