LAHORE: One of the more popular tourist spots near the city is being given a facelift. The Punjab tourism department and WWF-Pakistan are getting together on a two-year, Rs 30 million project aimed at improving Kallar Kahar.
Located between Lahore and Islamabad, Kallar Kahar features fruit orchards, shrines even peacocks. It was here that Babur, the Afghan founder of the Mughal dynasty, laid out the Bagh-e-Safa. The seat from which he once looked out on the gardens and lake, and from where he riled his troops into combat still resides here.
The embankment of the lake will be raised some 18,000 feet and work on the sewage system will start under the first phase of the restoration project, said Punjab Tourism Secretary Sajjid Hussain Chattha on Tuesday.
Mr Chattha said Rs 13 million in government funds would be spent this fiscal year ending June 30 after the chief minister approves of the model in March. The project will be implemented by the Chakwal district government and supervised by WWF-Pakistan.
The local community is also being involved. The landowners on 1,500 acres of barren hills around the lake will be paid Rs 10,500 per acre over three years to plant vegetation indigenous to the area, said Chakwal District Coordination Officer Sajjad Saleem Hotiana. Rs 6,000 of this would be given in the first year, he added.
Mr Hotiana said the district government would spend 25 percent of money generated from tourists on protecting the lake from pollution and developing the town.
The Wildlife Department also intends on adding more birds to the lake at Kallar Kahar. Director General Tariq Ayub said his department would bring here a variety of pheasant found in the Saidpur reserve, Rawalpindi. He said shooting for game at Kallar Kahar would be monitored and limited to licensed hunters only.
Close to the lake, there is the shrine of Hazrat Hubahu with its thriving peacock population. And 10 miles away, there is the Hindu pilgrim site of Katas, literally weeping eyes. The site carries the ruins of temples, shrines, bathhouses and a fort surrounding a pool. Legend has it that the pool was formed by the tears Shiva wept for his dead wife.
Locals said the Federal Archaeology Department has told them it will invest Rs 9 million on renovating the site at Katas, which should see some 200 visitors next month.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_28-1-2004_pg7_15
Been to Kallar Kahar. Beautiful place but like so many other locations in Pakistan, underdeveloped and under-utilised. Hopefully this project will reverse the fortunes for the locality. :k: