Mirik Lake: Panel formed to oversee Mirik lake makeover

Darjeeling, Feb. 20.TT: The state government has formed an advisory committee to oversee the beautification of the Mirik lake and the process will kick off with the dredging of the 1.25km-long water body and strengthening of the embankments.

Sources said the initial clean-up and dredging would cost around Rs 1 crore and for the time being, the DGHC would fund it. Later, when a project report is prepared and the estimates worked out, the DGHC will either approach the Centre or use the grants promised under the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration agreement.

The advisory committee for Mirik, formed by the state urban development department in Calcutta on February 13, includes engineers of the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) and the DGHC.

“The February-13 meeting was chaired by urban development department secretary D. Sen. The director of the department C. Dey was also present when the committee was formed. The committee had a meeting in Mirik on February 17,” said DGHC administrator Anil Verma.

The Mirik lake, also known as Sumendu lake, is 49km from Darjeeling.

“Apart from dredging, works like strengthening the lake’s embankment, cleaning the area and ensuring that the discharge lines (sewerage) are not disposed in the lake would be taken up,” said Verma.

Later, the committee will prepare a detailed project report for beautification of, not just the lake, but also of the surrounding area.

The lake is circled by a 3.5km pathway. A 70ft long bridge connects the two ends of the water body. On one side of the lake a lush and beautiful garden existed once. On the other end, there is a pine forest.

But more than a decade ago, in 2000, the DGHC, had flattened the garden for a beautification project that never took off.

Boating facilities, which used to be run by the tourism department of the DGHC, were also stopped but was revived on a small scale only a month back.

“The priority now is to clean the lake after which steps would be taken to upgrade the boating facilities and beautify the area,” said Verma.

The DGHC will also relocate the Mirik and Bijanbari colleges with its own funds. “The cost of constructing the Mirik Degree College building is likely to touch the Rs 3.05 crore mark. For Bijanbari Degree College, the cost will be around Rs 3.5 crore,” said Verma. Bijanbari is 36km from Darjeeling town.

Sources in the DGHC said a proposal to set up a college in Gorubathan, 70km from Kalimpong, had been sent to the higher education department. “The nod is expected to come soon,” said the source.