Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh), Jul 5 (IANS): The Sumer Sagar Lake spread across 18 acres in the heart of Gorakhpur, which existed on maps till 1996 but disappeared in the 2019 ones, is all set to be revived and restored to its lost glory, an Uttar Pradesh official confirmed.
The lake, which is in the heart of the city, has been completely encroached upon by land mafia over the years with permanent structures and even a road being constructed on it. The ‘lake' does not have any water in it.
Joint Magistrate Gaurav Singh Sogarwal told reporters that the district administration has decided to revive the Sumer Sagar Lake, spread over more than 18 acres of land.
The administration has already razed 90 per cent of the commercial buildings and encroachment on the lake area and sent notices to shops and residential buildings to vacate the place.
An investigation has also been ordered into the encroachment of the lake, construction of buildings -- the maps of which were even passed by the Gorakhpur Development Authority. The role of the municipal corporation which constructed a road on the lake's land has also been ordered.
The Gorakhpur Development Authority will also probe how the maps of buildings in Sumer Sagar area and Jatepur were approved. GDA secretary Ramsingh Gautam said all the maps which have been wrongly approved will be cancelled.
"The lake will be revived to its original form and will be developed for tourism. We have already contacted the Jal Shakti Ministry for this. The lake will also resolve the waterlogging problem in the city to a great extent. As per orders of the Supreme Court, high court, and NGT, water bodies should be conserved in their original forms," the joint magistrate said.
Sogarwal said, "As per Google Maps, the lake existed in its original form in 1996, but in the map of 2019, it disappeared completely. More than 220 structures have come upon the lake's land. People were using it as godowns and warehouses. Shops and houses were also constructed on the rest of the land. Now, seven days' time has been given to them after which the buildings will be demolished."
The Yogi Adityanath government has already transformed the Ramgarh Lake into a picturesque tourist spot.