faced with poor implementation of the plan and failure to offer basic infrastructure at the resettlement site, the J&K government has decided that “58 existing villages in Dal Lake will be developed as ‘eco-villages’. File | Photo credit: The Hindu
The Jammu and Kashmir government has abandoned a ₹416.72 crore resettlement plan for Dal Lake residents. To a question from National Conference (NC) legislator Tanvir Sadiq, she told the J&K Assembly that the project had made “only 27% progress” in 17 years.
The plan was devised by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress leader Sonia Gandhi to preserve and restore the lake, which attracts tourists from all over the world. The Singh government approved the plan in 2009.
The project sought to relocate and rehabilitate about 9,000 families from the Dal Lake ecosystem to deal with increasing pollution, mitigate the impact on aquatic life and conserve the shrinking lake.
“Eco-village”
However, faced with poor implementation of the plan and failure to offer basic infrastructure at the resettlement site, the J&K government decided that “58 existing villages in the Dal Lake will be developed as ‘Ecological Settlements’.”
“Work on six villages has already started under the UT Capex budget, with one – Kachri Mohalla – already completed as a modern village,” the J&K government told the gathering.
According to the new plan, it will replace the old model of in-situ conservation and “residents will be able to stay in ‘eco-villages’ built within the water body”.
The shift in policy followed a report submitted last year by a high-level committee headed by the divisional commissioner of Kashmir. He describes the inhabitants of Dal Lake as “an integral part of the ecosystem of the lake”. The committee called for the continued residence of these residents on the lake, while stating that it was “equally important to keep it (the lake) vibrant, dynamic and alive”.
The new project is awaiting final approval
The government claimed that sewerage network for six villages has been laid and detailed project reports for modular sewage treatment plants are being prepared. The ₹ 212.38 crore project, titled “Integrated Management Program for Conservation of Dal-Nigeen Lake Ecosystem”, has been accepted in principle by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.
The five-year project aimed to address sewage in 28 inland settlements, adjust inflow from the watershed and dredge internal canals, the response said, pending final approval from the finance department.
Under the ManmohanSingh government plan, 7,526 kanals of land were acquired in Bemina on the outskirts of Srinagar and the colony was named Rakh-e-Arth Resettlement Colony. Each Dal Lake resident was issued a plot of land, ₹1.05 lakh for construction and ₹3.91 lakh as one-time compensation. However, the project resettled only 1,808 families out of about 9,000 Dal Lake families, officials said.
Published – 07 Feb 2026 20:51 IST