Deputy Mayor Sheikh Imran

Srinagar: Lakes and Water Ways Development Authority (LAWDA) has said that Deputy Mayor, Sheikh Imran was lying that SMC was part of the Dal lake cleaning process.

The Authority also said that the army was insisting LAWDA to take them along for cleaning the lake for reasons unknown to them.

“SMC has zero role in cleaning of the Dal lake,” LAWDA’s incharge for cleaning the Dal Lake, Tariq Ahmad told The Kashmir Press.

“I have no idea as to how the deputy mayor is taking credit for being part of the lake cleaning exercise. It is a lie that SMC is part of the cleaning campaign. And also, the deputy mayor is not heading any cleaning process”.

Deput Mayor Srinagar, Sheikh Imran, had earlier said that SMC was assisting the LAWDA in cleaning Dal Lake. It was also reported that Imran was heading the cleaning campaign.

“The Dal cleaning campaign was started back in August under the supervision of the then governor NN Vohra,” Ahmad said.

“We worked on daily basis to de-weed and clean the Dal lake and present progress report of each day before the governor. This process still continues”.

LAWDA said that army insisted upon the Authority to take them along for cleaning the lake on December 17.

“Their (army) participation in cleaning campaign is futile,” Ahmad said.

“Neither they have the skills, nor do they have the machinery to do so. But we have no idea why they still wanted to be part of the cleaning drive”.

He said that the army sent 60 soldiers for cleaning the Dal lake.

“We provided them 20 skilled laborers from the department. But the soldiers could not do anything. It turned out to be wastage of time,” Ahmad said.

LAWDA said that now army has increased the number to 100 soldiers for cleaning the lake.

“The army was asking us for giving them de-weeding machines. But, we did not since they are not skilled to run them,” Ahmad said.