Sukhna Lake or Sookhna Lake

Sukhna Lake(now �Sookhna Lake� drying up lake and an eyesore these days) which attracted 60% of the tourists during this summer is a matter of concern for all Chandigarhians which was designed by the city�s architect Le Corbusier and Chief Engineer P.L.Verma, as an artificial rainfed lake � care of the body and spirit� at the foothills of Himalayas, the Shivalik hills during 1958 by damming the Sukhna Choe and at that time it was spread over 3 square kilometre of area out of which one third of the area has already dried due to silting.Similarly water holding volume has also reduced to less than half i.e.3 to 6 feet. Originally the depth was over 20 feet. Le Corbusier has predicted Sukhna Lake life as 25 years. 54 years have already passed and Forest Department of Chandigarh Administration have full praise that played biggest role in saving Sukhna. During 1974 a land of 25.42 km was acquired in the catchment area and put under vegetation to check the inflow of silt. This scheme worked well and amazingly minimized the infow of silt from 140 tones per hectare to just 5 tones per hetare but simultaneously, it prevent around 2000 square area of water from entering the lake. Sharamdan during 1988 has also helped upto some extend but centre has yet to clear Rs.72 crors project for desilting and tube-well in the catchment area; water supply from Bhakra Canal by the Punjab Government and tertiary water supply are still to take off. Seening present situation it will be hard to believe that this lake was once venue of the Asian Rowing Championships and had longest channel for rowing and yachting events in Asia. It had facilities for other water sports like water surfing, skiing and skulking. Not to talk of sports only but falling of water level due to scorching heat has reduced oxygen level and had badly affected he fishes in Lake. Fishes are dying due inadequate water. The Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Department of Chandigarh Administration has come up with a plan with the help of Punjab team to shift the small fish to the nearby ponds adjoining Garden of Silence and large fish to other water bodies as Mangora eat small fish, they will have to be shifted to other water bodies in the neighboring States. Reports of delay in arrival of pre-monsoon in Chandigarh, is also a matter of great concern for the U.T.forest and wildlife department who were pinning hopes for an early showers. Some Botany people blame Forest Department for extensive plantation in the lake�s catchment area. But I do not agree with them as this plantation has reduced the silt to the minimum. Low water level was the main reason for uncontrolled growth of weeds and now dries bed. The plight of the Chandigarh Administration Engineering Department has to put in action the heavy machinery, including excavators,dumpers and trucks from morning till late evening to clear silt and that too in the middle of the lake from 1500 meter point a migerated bird watching point before the lake filled up again. Chandigarh Administration as well as the Union Government is not sincere to save Sukhna Lake for the past three decade. I pray Chandigarh Administration, Centre, Punjab and Haryana to chalk-out concrete plan jointly to save this precious Lake the spirit of the Chandigarhians.

Sukhna Lake or Sookhna Lake

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