Nainital: Scientists of IIT Roorkee have discovered a 200-meter-long and 5-meter-deep underground lake in the Balia Nala hills in Uttarakhand's Nainital.
The newly discovered water source is considered to recharge supply to Naini Lake and will help in controlling the falling water level.
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State Irrigation Department's Executive Engineer Harish Chandra Singh said shortly the water of this underground lake will be lifted and released into Naini Lake to replenish it.
According to authorities, this underground lake will also help in preventing landslides in Balia Nala which are occurring due to constant water leakage in the area.
With the help of this discovery, scientists believe that Balia Nala will get permanent treatment.
As per reports, since 1980, Nainital's Balia Nala area is facing recurrent landslides following which many people got displaced and were forced to leave their houses. Many were also shifted to other locations.
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Even Shahid Major Rajesh Adhikari Government Inter College in Nanital was battered by the landslides and district management planned to shift the 100-year-old school.
While hearing a PIL, Uttarakhand High Court ordered to constitute a high power committee to conduct a survey.
The committee was formed by the members of IIT Roorkee, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology and Geological Survey of India.
The survey team conducted an underground survey in 70 meters area towards Bhawali, about 400 meters away from Naini Lake.
The survey report revealed that the water leakage in the area is due to the new underground lake.