What started as an online campaign became a message of awareness and unity in Nainital, Uttarakhand on Saturday. Over a thousand people came together to walk barefoot in silence as part of the ‘Save Naini Lake’ campaign.
Participants marched from one end of the lake to another, as they waved banners bearing messages urging immediate action to save the iconic Nainital lake, the water levels of which have dipped to over 18 feet below the normal level.
The lake has been deteriorating because of illegal construction in the catchment area, waste disposal and heavy tourist inflow, reports The Indian Express. Owing to these serious concerns, the maintenance of the Naini Lake was transferred from the PWD department to the irrigation department last week.
“We all are united in our campaign to save the lake, the town and the ecosystem, which has kept life going here. I urge the government to take up the issue on priority,” a Nainital resident who participated in the march told the Times Of India.
The protesters also vowed to take up the responsibility of saving the lake.
The online campaign to save the lake gained popularity after a number of celebrities, including singer Shubha Mudgal, took to Twitter to tweet about the campaign.
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