Ambitious plan for preserving water bodies, Rs 65 cr released: Soz

Srinagar, Apr 3 (UNI) An ambitious plan has been formulated for protection and preservation of water bodies in the Jammu and Kashmir with Rs 65 crores having been released for the purpose, Union Minister for Water Resources Prof Saifuddin Soz said.

Regarding the protection of Wular lake, the largest fresh water lake in the sub-continent, he said after Dal lake special attention would be paid towards restoring the originality and grandeur of this water body.

He said water navigation facility would be made available shortly on 172 km distance from Khanabal to Khadinyar.

Prof Soz said that forests and water resources have to be protected and preserved as these are symbiotic to each other.

He appealed to the people to extend their hand in preservation of precious resources.

About excise duty and incentives for industrial units, Prof Soz said he would take up the matter with the concerned Central ministries.

Prof Soz said Jammu and Kashmir is touching new heights of development by virtue of gigantic infrastructure development programme launched by Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad adding that socio-economic profile of the people has improved a lot.

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