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Srinagar, Dec 4 (UNI) Alarmed over the deteriorating condition of the world famous Dal and Anchar lakes, the Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to take all appropriate steps for their revival.

After a high-level meeting, Director UNESCO Mina Yang said water bodies were being considered as the ''live heritage points'' throughout the globe.

Emphasis was, therefore, laid on taking all appropriate steps to protect the dying lakes, as there was still scope to revive them with endeavours from all quarters.

The meeting, the first of its kind, focused on pooling all the resources together for revival and protection of the heritage sites, including protection and preservation of the Buddhist sites at Harwan, about 15 km from here.

The director pointed out that more emphasis was required on providing quality education to the students in the Kashmir valley and also to re-orient tourism structures in such a manner that the the Valley becames heritage-oriented and knowledge bank of an age-old civilisation.

It was also pointed out at the meeting that wet land protection should be ensured so that the birds who migrate from Siberia and other Central Asian countries to Kashmir were able to enjoy the natural surroundings.

It was decided at the meeting that UNESCO in collaboration with Tourism department, Education department, Information department, Municipal Corporation, LAWDA, Archives department, will launch awareness and partnership programmes with an aim to creating sense of awareness among people for protection of the heritage sites and creation of knowledge banks for the same.

UNI BAS KD BS1334