The district administration on Sunday started de-weeding and cleaning the mud deposit in the two-century old, Jagannath Sagar, (a historical lake) situated at Jeypore in the district. The objective is to develop the historical lake into a tourist destination.

An official said the de-weeding work would be carried out by the municipality and minor irrigation department in assistance with an ODRAF team.

“The de-weeding work will be done for a week. If required then it will be extended for a few more days,” said Koraput collector K. Sudarshan Chakravarthy, who personally monitored the de-weeding work on Sunday.

According to the collector, after the de-weeding work is over, banks of the lake will be cleaned and the forest department will plant trees under urban plantation scheme. “We want to develop the lake into a beautiful tourist destination. Subsequently, various elements for amusement would be installed shortly to make it attractive,” the collector said.

An official said once the de-weeding work was over, construction of path way around the water body, boating facilities, amusement park, food kiosk, illumination, water fountain, amphitheatre will come up to attract tourists.

The lake was excavated in 1781, during the reign of Maharaja Vikram Deo-I of Jeypore, to provide water to Jeypore residents. The water body was spread over 115 hectare. However, due to illegal encroachments and government apathy it has now squeezed to 67.40 hectare.

An amusement park was developed in the west bank of the lake during 2005-06, but due to alleged administrative negligence, dumping of garbage, bio-non degradable waste and sewerage into and near the lake has created an indecent, unhygienic and shabby environment.

At present, the water body is filled with weeds, which itself speaks in volumes about the government apathy towards the historical structure.