Srinagar: Government will soon set up an underground
fish aquarium and aqua park at Botanical Garden
Srinagar at a cost of Rs 100 crore with an aim to provide
another place of leisure and knowledge for locals and
tourists alike.
This was stated by the Minister of State for Forest, PHE,
I&FC and Fisheries Mir Zahoor Ahmad, while chairing first
meeting of officers convened to discuss the measures for
setting up the prestigious project.
The Minister said that this would be a first of its kind
modern Fish Aquarium in Kashmir Valley on the banks of
Dal Lake which will promote pisciculture besides
providing an added tourist attraction in the vicinity of the
Dal Lake, Mughal Gardens and world-famous Tulip
Garden in the foothills of Zabarwan Mountain.
The Minister said that fish aquarium will be set up
underground near Botanical Garden and on the surface,
a beautiful aqua park will also be set up. He said that an
amount of Rs 35.00 crore will be spent on the project in
the first phase. He said that it will be a centrally heated
aquarium to withstand extreme low temperature during
the harsh winter.
The Minister said the aquarium, once completed, will not
only provide employment opportunities to local youth
but will also generate huge revenue for the State. He also
directed the authorities to conduct a visit of the site and
start work to obtain no objection certificates from the
concerned departments before the start of ground work.
The Director Fisheries, P. N. Pandita gave a detailed
presentation about the setting up of aquarium and Aqua
Park. He apprised the meeting that the area being green
belt, it was decided to build the aquarium entirely
underground so that the environment is not affected.
Commissioner/Secretary Fisheries, R K Bhagat, Secretary
Floriculture, Talat Parvez, Director Fisheries P.NPandita,
Director Floriculture MathooraMasoom and senior
officers of concerned departments attended the
meeting.
Caught in traffic
