Bhubaneswar, June 28: Concern over the water level in the holy Bindusagar lake is all set to end. The civic body plans to bring in water either from Daya river or the Puri main canal to be supplied through pipelines.

After several instances of bio-remediation to increase the oxygen level in the lake, cleaning, de-weeding and dredging work, the water in the lake is still not adequate. Now, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has proposed to feed the lake with water.

Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena said: "After several trials we have failed to revive the water level, but during dredging we came to know the floor of the lake is a bed of laterite rock. Due to rapid urbanisation, rainwater and streams nearby are also getting blocked. To make it more beautiful and healthy, we need to increase the water level immediately.''

A senior engineer also hinted at assistance from the tourism department. The department has come forward to foot the bill of the project to bring water either from Daya river or the Puri main canal. "We will make an elaborate survey to see the kind of pipelines that would be cost effective as well as easier to be laid. After the survey, the final decision will be taken,'' said the mayor.

A senior citizen from the Old Town, Surya Narayan Das said: "In 1964, the level of water in the lake was 16 feet, but it had shrunk to 5 to 7 feet now. After the dredging, the water level may rise to 10 feet, but it would still not be adequate.''

Das also said the civic body was never serious in its approach, as the proposal for sourcing water from two streams, Ganga-Yamuna and Dimbiri Jhara near the Bindusagar lake was never taken up with seriousness.

In the past, Rs 9.45 crore was spent on the renovation of the Bindusagar lake. While more than Rs 6.1 crore was used for the construction of a parikrama (walkway surrounding the holy water body), nearly Rs 3.35 crore was used for cleaning and de-silting the Bindusagar lake.

The bio-remediation of the lake was not completed and Rs 67 lakh was lying unutilised. Later, the money and some more was sourced by the BMC and through the Odisha Construction Corporation a dredging work of the lake surface was done at a cost of Rs 3.01crore.

"Rainwater harvesting from nearby houses and cleaning blockages from the natural streams in the Old Town heading towards the lake, can revive the water body, but the water needed would not be adequate,'' said Bijay Mishra, an environmentalist.

"Getting water from the Daya river or the Puri main canal may help Bindusagar lake to have more water for religious rituals and tourism activities, but it should be cleaned on a regular basis," said Mishra

"Residents should also be made aware, so that they do not dump materials for worshipping purpose into the lake,'' Mishra said.