POKHARA, JAN 20: The government has taken no conservation initiative even nine months after the high-level committee formed to study encroachment on the Phewa Lake submitted its report along with recommendations.
The high-level commission had submitted its report along with necessary recommendations to the government on May 18 last year. Massive encroachment on the lake has also increased pollution, informed Bishwa Prasad Lamichane, coordinator of the committee.
“Though the government had decided in July to implement the recommendations immediately, no steps have been taken in that direction as of yet. The report is currently in the ministry of tourism,” Lamichhane told Republica.
According to him, the government should immediately take conservation measures to prevent siltation. Every year, more than 140,000 metric tons of sand is deposited in the lake, according to environmentalists.
Tika Ram Sapkota, an invitee member of the commission and member of the Tourism board, said, it was sad that the government has failed to implement the recommendations of the committee.
However, Prime Minister Baburam Bhattrai, who had arrived in Pokhara to attend a function, assured the locals that the government would implement the recommendations at any cost.
The lake which spread over an area of 22,000 ropanis earlier has now shrunk to 12,000 ropanis, informed Lamichhane.
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