It appears that the globally renowned Pichola Lake is not receiving the attention it deserves. Hotel owners' preferences seem to be solely centered around conceptual plans related to the lake, with no tangible progress. The municipal corporation cancelled the contracts for road access to hotels over a year ago, but the State Lake Development Authority has not yet approved the decision. Furthermore, even the eco-friendly boat service on the lake has been turned into a government contract, yet the authority has not managed to initiate this project either.

Who is responsible for granting permission to hotel owners for operating petrol-diesel boats? Surprisingly, even the administration is unable to provide an answer to these questions. Meanwhile, the High Court has taken a strong stance, emphasizing the need for the authority to make a decision regarding the boat policy proposed by the administration. The continuous deterioration of the  condition  of Pichhola Lake can be attributed to the inconsistent behaviour of the State Lake Development Authority and the ongoing disputes.

City residents and lake enthusiasts are suggesting that if the State Lake Development Authority intends to boost tourism, it should consider revoking the road access contracts for hotels and, in their place, launch a fresh government tender exclusively for eco-friendly boats. This tender should offer round-the-clock services exclusively to hotel guests.

This approach will result in decreased pollution in the lakes, a restriction on the number of boats, prevention of tourist scams, enforcement of uniform boat standards, and increased revenue generation. Presently, it is primarily the hotel operators who are benefiting, charging tourists  annually for unauthorized boat rides, deceiving them. In contrast, government boat contracts are exceeding Rs 5.78 crore rupees. 

Source: Rajasthan Patrika