[ Joken Ete ]
ITANAGAR, 26 Nov: Following the huge success of the Siikhe and Shi lakes in Lower Subansiri district, the state water resources department took up a water conservation project in Naraba, near Lumdung, in East Kameng district, to emulate the success and make it a favourite tourists’ destination.
However, the sad saga is that the people of the district are not reaping any benefit from the project, unlike the people in the Ziro valley.
Situated adjacent to golden paddy fields on both sides of the Papu river and on the foothills, the lake is surrounded by a wide variety of flora, while the stunning natural landscapes are a feast for the eyes.
The Rs 12-crore project, a brainchild of local legislator Mama Natung, was inaugurated on 15 August this year.
The lake has a water surface area of 12 hectares and has storage capacity of 0.8 million cubic metres or 8 lakhs cubic litres. It has a depth of 6 metres and the length of the dam is 280 metres, while the height is 8 metres above the ground level.
The Seppa WRD division was the agency that executed the project. However, after three months of inauguration, this stunning beauty at the bottom of the valley is lying unused.
WRD (P&D) Chief Engineer Likar Angu informed that the lake was formed by storing water from the Naraba stream. “The main idea behind the lake was to recharge the groundwater,” he said.
He said that the plus point of the project is moisture retention and greening in and around the lake.
“The value addition of the project was to store water for irrigation, pisciculture, aesthetic or recreational purposes, or both,” the CE said.
Angu said that the agricultural fields nearby were to be provided with water through pipelines by means of gravity flow.
He said that people can enjoy picnicking in and around the lake.
Angu, however, expressed dismay that the people are not reaping any benefit from the project, unlike the people of Ziro valley.
“The lack of interest, or people not reaping any benefit from the project may be because people have other avenues to earn money,” he opined.
In Ziro, people are earning revenues from fish cultivation, picnic, sightseeing, boating etc, he said, adding that such is not the case in Lumdung.
Seppa WRD Executive Engineer Hanu Techi Tara disclosed that the project was to be managed by the people. “A village development committee was to be formed to run the project, but we are yet to hear from them,” he said.
He said, however, that the villagers and youths would not be able to run it, and that the project should be run preferably by a multipurpose cooperative society.
He advocated community participation to ensure success of the project.
Tara disclosed that the department has released fingerlings into the lake to achieve sustainable fishery. He said that “people are enjoying picnicking there and the process to procure boats is underway.”
Advocating community participation, he said that “boating, irrigation and pico hydel could be taken up to boost tourism and to ensure benefit for the local population.”
Tara said that the area has huge potential to attract tourists, provided basic services are in place.
It is to be hoped that, in the coming days, Lumdung will attract tourists like Tawang, Bomdila and Ziro.
