Gandaki. How many people will be fascinated by the Rupa Lake region in the next three years? It can be hard to predict right now. Touched by some parts of Lekhnath municipality wards 10, 11 and 14, the lake is moving towards the best destination in terms of environment, aquatic animal conservation, irrigation and hydropower generation.
For this, the Department of Water Resources and Irrigation has been working round the clock keeping the implementation of the master plan in first priority.TAG_OPEN_div_105 Director General at the Department, E Mitra Baral, informed that the Department has been implementing a master plan for the conservation of Rupa Lake under the Water Resources Conservation Programme. “Works are being carried out from the perspective of environmental protection, aquatic animal conservation, irrigation and hydropower generation. ”
With the completion of the ongoing work, the entire form of Rupatal named Rupatal is going to change due to the change of form time and again.
} Garden of Seven Lakes The entire form of the Garden of Seven Lakes is on the verge of change with the success of the Rupa Lake Conservation Integrated Development Project for the conservation and development of one of the lakes listed in the wetlands. Earlier, the project was named Rupa Lake Conservation Integrated Development Project but now it is under the Irrigation and Water Resources Management Project.
The lake, which is touched by Rupakot, Siran of Hanspur and some parts of Majhthana (then Lekhnath Municipality Ward Nos. 10, 11 and 14), has been subjected to natural and human encroachment.TAG_OPEN_div_99
Chief of Department of Water Resources and Irrigation, Irrigation and Water Resources Management Project, Bidurman Shrestha informed that the detailed project report has been prepared and works are being carried out accordingly.TAG_OPEN_div_97
According to him, the form of Rupa Lake will change once the project is completed.TAG_OPEN_div_95 The work was started from 2075/76. The project was estimated to cost Rs 4.52 billion and works worth Rs 2.70 billion have been completed so far. As per the approved master plan, the project is targeted to be completed by 2085÷086 BS.
The total area of the lake is spread over 122 hectares and with the completion of the current dam, the area will increase to 183 hectares.TAG_OPEN_div_93 Under the project, the construction of the dam has already started. A contract of Rs 290 million was signed for the construction of the dam and the new road is being constructed by the JV.
The deadline for the construction of the dam is September 23, 2008.TAG_OPEN_div_91 As per the agreement, there will be a 590-metre mud dam and a 45-metre concrete dam. According to Project Pramule Shrestha, 70 percent of the dam construction work has been completed. With the completion of the dam construction, the depth of the lake will increase from three meters to seven meters. Under this project, 7.8-km paved road on the left side of Rupatal has been completed in the last fiscal year.
} Under the same project, the length of the lake will be expanded from the present two kilometers to 3.6 kilometers. Work is underway to remove eight lakh cubic meters of soil from the lake and manage it. For this, works are being constructed by allocating Rs 400 million and the target is to complete it by March 20 as per the agreement. The construction work is being carried out by Uma & Company.
Under the TAG_OPEN_div_87 project, there is a plan to build an island in the middle of the lake and build a temple there. The temple will be 140 meters long and 95 meters wide. Similarly, a five-kilometer long eco-trail will be constructed on the right bank of the lake.
To do the remaining work, 317 trees will have to be cut. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has also been carried out for the same. Similarly, one hectare of land is yet to be acquired for the right of use. According to Shrestha, although 317 trees have been approved to be cut down as per the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), only 128 trees have to be removed during field verification.
The project has already acquired 911 ropanis of land against 1,20 TAG_OPEN_div_83 0 ropanis. The project sources said that Rs one billion compensation has already been distributed for the same. The remaining 126 ropanis should have been acquired, but the new rate should have been fixed for it, but the district rate has not been fixed.
With the completion of all these works, the depth of the lake will increase by four meters.TAG_OPEN_div_81 According to Project Chief Shrestha, the Irrigation and Water Resources Management Project has been looking after more than 50 different projects in Gandaki State. He said that the project was awarded on the occasion of Irrigation Day and 73rd anniversary on the basis of work progress made by the project and overall impact assessment to the community.
The elders here argue that the name Rupatal is derived from the change in the form of water with the rays of the sun.TAG_OPEN_div_79 It is believed that the completion of the project will help conserve the lake at a time when the size of the lake is shrinking due to increasing encroachment in recent years.
Chairman of the cooperative, Ram TAG_OPEN_div_77 Bahadur Thapa, said that the Rupa Lake Rehabilitation and Fisheries Cooperatives have been drawing the attention of the bodies concerned to conserve the lake which was encroached upon in the past. Rupa Lake has become a tourist attraction not only for its natural beauty but also for fish. Hundreds of tourists visit Rupatal every day to taste the fish.
Locals say the number of people going to the banks of the lake for fish is increasing on public holidays and most of the Saturdays.TAG_OPEN_div_75 Tourists also come to this lake for swimming and fishing, which has become the center of attraction in recent times for meeting lovers and lovers. He said that the targeted works of the project will change the overall lake.
Pearl Production Test
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Pearl production has also been tested in Rupa Lake. Earlier, the Begnas Fisheries Research Centre had proved the possibility of pearl production in the lake after which the cooperative’s chair Thapa said that the experiment has been increased for pearl production in Rupatal as well. He said that the lake could also be used through pearl production if the trial of pearl production is successful.
Suspension Bridge Over the Lake
} Zoological Park Center is another attraction of the place built by incorporating the forest on the banks of Rupatal. The zoological park has become an attractive destination for tourists, said Dinanath Dhakal, chairperson of the zoo management committee.
He said that the foot track that was supposed to be constructed on the lake bank under the TAG_OPEN_div_65 project will further highlight the beauty of the place. Tourists visiting the centre can observe leopard, blue bull, spotted deer, red deer, fodder tiger, python, white vulture, Himalayan vulture and turtle along with the panoramic view of Rupatal.
According to him, 361 species of plants, 175 species of herbs and animals like tiger, deer and python are found in the forests around Rupatal.TAG_OPEN_div_63 A total of 134 species of wildlife and birds are found in this area.
The suspension bridge over the TAG_OPEN_div_61Rupa is another attraction here. The 269 metres long bridge over the lake has become an attractive destination for tourists. The bridge has been constructed in a way to connect Pokhara metropolis-31 and Rupa rural municipality-6. Lately, the number of people coming to see the suspension bridge over the lake and to make TikTok and videos has also increased.
Dhakal said that there will be a drastic change in the form of Rupatal once all the works of the project are completed.TAG_OPEN_div_59 He said that with the transformation into a lake, Rupa Lake would be developed as a special tourist destination in the area.
Bird Tourist Destination
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Rupatal has also become an attractive destination for bird tourism. Many species of exotic birds come to this lake from China, Siberia and other countries. Manashanta Ghimire, former president of Pokhara Bird Society, said that birds of different species from Siberia and other places come to the lake especially during winter. According to him, the lakes of Lekhnath along with Rupatal are also attractive destinations for bird tourism.
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