THE lakes in the Kashmir Valley are soon to get a facelift as a team of Austrian experts are visiting the valley to develop a plan for their conservation. A master plan will be framed by the state government for the capital city and ensure lake-mapping so that their con servation is taken up on a priority basis. Union minister for environment and forests, Saifuddin Soz, disclosed that the Dal lake especially, needs to be completely "depopulated".

Although the state government had submitted a conservation plan worth Rs 338 crore for the Dal lake, Soz said that it was "too small an amount". Out of the projected cost of the plan, the state had earmarked Rs 200 crore for removing encroachments and rehabilitating the displaced. Announcing complete funding for the project, Soz urged the state government to submit a detailed report on the Anchar lake as well. Regarding encroachment and construction activities near the Dal lake, Soz ordered that the population near the lake be rehabilitated. The minister wanted strong action to be taken against "influential persons who exploited their status and encroached upon the lake area."