Chandigarh, May 20 -- To preserve and enhance the Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh, the UT administration has drafted a comprehensive five-year plan. A Wetland Authority has been constituted to oversee the development and conservation efforts, with the administrator of Chandigarh serving as its chairman. Key departments, including engineering, forest, tourism, municipal corporation, and Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Development Corporation (CITCO), have been consulted for their suggestions, which will be implemented without altering the natural form of the lake. The authority will finalise and implement the road map based on the collected suggestions by the departments. The authority will also be responsible for monitoring the lake's health and protecting it from harmful influences, including silt accumulation. The five-year plan includes proposals to introduce new activities and address challenges such as falling water levels during summers. Special attention will be given to the lake's catchment area, with a focus on maintaining water purity. One of the primary focuses of the plan is to prevent the ecologically sensitive area from water pollution and to ensure all future activities or constructions around the lake are approved by the authority. The goal is to maintain the lake's ecological balance while enhancing its beauty. The new plan also includes measures such as maintaining water levels, protecting aquatic life, and keeping the surrounding areas clean. The kidney-shaped Sukhna Lake was brought into existence by blocking the flow of water in the Sukhna choe originating from the Shivalik hills by raising stone-cum earthen embankments in 1958. The water body covers an area of around 338 acres. It is 1.52 km long and 1.49 km wide with an average depth of around 5 metres....