Kathmandu, June 2

Until two months ago, Nadhiman Lake in Chandranagar VDC-8, Sarlahi was not known to many as a tourism destination. The lake was fragmented into small ponds.

But in less than two months, the lake has been converted into an attractive destination that up to 12,000 people visit daily. This dramatic change was possible due to implementation of the President Chure Conservation Programme.

Head of the Social Mobilisation and Communication Section of the programme Rajan Regmi informed that Nadhiman Lake showed amazing results after the programme came into force.

“It’s been just around two months that we handed over the lake to the locals and already the lake has gained popularity as a major tourist’s destination in Sarlahi” he told The Himalayan Times. “Nadhiman was the only lake where the programme had invested the highest amount.” Total expenditure on Nadhiman Lake was Rs 20 million.

With the help of the programme, the fragmented ponds were joined to form one huge lake that covered 34 Bigaha land. Picnic spots, boating and marriage ceremonies are the major events from which the lake management collects money for conservation.

Infrastructure such as shade houses, picnic spots, seats and tables have been set up on the banks of the lake with fund from the President Chure programme.

According to Nadhiman Lake Management Committee, more than 150,000 people have visited the lake in less than two months. “We could not manage the overflow of visitors during holidays and we had no record of empty boats in the day time” Committee Secretary Anil Kumar Karna said, “Indians are also visiting the lake.”

He said committee had collected Rs 225,000 from visitors. For boating one pays Rs 25, for picnic a group pays Rs 500 and for marriage Rs 500 in the lake area.

Member of President Chure Tarai Madhes Conservation Development Board Bidur Bharati advised the committee and locals to develop the lake as second destination for those who visit Bhedetar.

“If both conservation and promotional activities continue, Nadhiman lake will surely be the most attractive after Bhedetar,” he added, “We invested in the lake to conserve groundwater level in the Tarai. Its multiple benefits came in the form of tourism from which we earn money.”

Not only the lake itself, local shopkeepers have also benefited from the flow of visitors to the lake.