Before the J-K High Court took the custody of Dal Lake as a last resort to conserve it, there were many attempts to save the once magnificent lake. Among them was the Conservation and Management Plan for the Dal – Nagin Lake undertaken by the Alternate Hydro Energy Centre of University of Roorkee. Faced with acute problems of the Dal-Nagin Lakes, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests in 2000 assigned the job of preparing a Detailed Project Report for Dal and Nagin Lake’s conservation and management.

According to this report, the major problems facing the lake were identified as shrinkage of the lake area due to encroachment, excessive sediment entry due to catchment degradation, increased pollution because of entry of untreated sewage and solid waste from the periphery as well as from the houseboats and hamlets within the lake, excessive weed growth and reduction of fresh water entry into the lake.

A multidisciplinary team consisting of experts from the University of Roorkee and outside experts and organisations had prepared a detailed project report covering different aspects and had proposed a conservation and management plan which was “implementable, economical, eco-friendly and sustainable”. The plan included “works related to catchment treatment and management, sewerage and sewage treatment, solid waste management, deweeding and dredging and shore line development and other related issues”.

The total financial outlay for the proposed conservation and management plan for Dal and Nagin lakes over a period of three years had been worked out to be rupees 162.87 crores.

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