In Nainital, meanwhile, the Mall road area was overbuilt despite cautionary notes from experts. In 2012, a PIL was filed against encroachments over water drains, the arteries of the fragile town. In 2015, some encrochments were removed. But the drainage system had been compromised by then.
Another ticking problem is at the catchment area for Naini lake, known as Sookhatal. This natural reservoir, made of dolomite and limestone, collects 40 per cent of the subsurface water and kept the lake replenished for centuries.
Of late, that has been surrendered to builders who have cemented most of it to build hotels and resorts. As a result, the lake water in summer time keeps getting diminished alarmingly.
So the lake, with arrested water replenishment in the west and a vastly narrowed water release system at the east end, was a tragedy waiting to happen.
In Nainital, meanwhile, the Mall road area was overbuilt despite cautionary notes from experts. In 2012, a PIL was filed against encroachments over water drains, the arteries of the fragile town. In 2015, some encrochments were removed. But the drainage system had been compromised by then.
Another ticking problem is at the catchment area for Naini lake, known as Sookhatal. This natural reservoir, made of dolomite and limestone, collects 40 per cent of the subsurface water and kept the lake replenished for centuries.
Of late, that has been surrendered to builders who have cemented most of it to build hotels and resorts. As a result, the lake water in summer time keeps getting diminished alarmingly.
So the lake, with arrested water replenishment in the west and a vastly narrowed water release system at the east end, was a tragedy waiting to happen.