The Kupinde lake, nicknamed ‘Mini-Rara’, is a popular tourist destination in Salyan district. Many tourists, mainly the domestic ones, visit the lake for boating, sightseeing and other recreational activities. However, such an important tourist destination is neither conserved well nor promoted as expected.

A total of about Rs50 million has been spent over the past 20 years for the conservation and development of the lake, which is situated in Bangadkupinde Municipality’s ward 8. But the conservation as well as development works have not been effective mainly due to lack of a master plan, officials say.

“Considerable amounts of money have been spent for the conservation and development of the Kupinde lake and its vicinity,” said Kul Bahadur Puri, ward chairman of Bangadkupinde Municipality-8. “The amounts were spent without making a proper plan for the overall development and conservation of the lake. The lake area is the same as it was two decades ago.”

Nepal government, Nepal Tourism Board, the then District Development Committee and Village Development Committee, constituency development fund and the provincial government released around Rs50 million budgets for the development and conservation of Kupinde lake over the past two decades. The budgets were spent randomly through various committees and institutions but the works were not quite effective, Puri said.

Due to the lack of effective conservation works, Kupinde lake has been shrinking in recent years. Currently, the lake is around 1,200 metres in length and 250 metres in width. The haphazard construction of roads and other infrastructures in the surrounding area jeopardise the lake.

“The lake is shrinking as the floods sweep the debris and deposit in the lake every year. Siltation is the major threat behind the decreasing area of the lake,” said Shankar Yari, a boat operator in the lake. He urged the people’s representatives and the authorities concerned to carry out effective conservation works to protect the lake.

It was said earlier that a ring road, dyke around the lake, a drinking water project, view tower and rest houses would be constructed to protect and promote the lake. But the construction of these infrastructures is yet to be completed. Moreover, some of the infrastructures constructed are also in a sorry state due to the lack of regular maintenance works.

“Railings built around the lake, rest house and stone-paved steps are in dilapidated condition now. Other infrastructures like view tower, ring road, infrastructure to operate a home stay are yet to be constructed,” said Yari. According to him, around 200 tourists used to visit the lake on a daily basis in the past but the flow of visitors has dwindled now.

The lake area is polluted due to the waste that the visitors dispose of randomly in the lake and its vicinity. Kupinde lake management committee has been criticised for its failure to make effective plans and policies and enforce them for the lake conservation and develop the area as a major tourist destination.

“The lake management committee has not been active in recent days. The issue of lake conservation is totally ignored. Water level in the lake is gradually decreasing,” said Kumar Kawar, a boatman. “There is a vast rhododendron forest around the lake. Various aquatic animals are found in the lake. The area is rich in biodiversity. The visitors just boat in the lake and return. The authorities pay no heed to attract more tourists and develop the surrounding areas as tourist destinations as well.”

Chet Bahadur Kawar, the chairman of the lake conservation committee, went abroad for foreign employment three years ago. Some other members of the committee are also not active for the conservation and promotion of the lake. The local unit has been criciticised for not reshuffling the management committee.

Karna Bahadur Budhathoki, mayor of Bangadkupinde Municipality, admits that works regarding the lake conservation and infrastructures are ineffective. “The municipality has carried out a Detailed Project Report and Environmental Impact Assessment for the conservation and management of Kupinde lake,” Budhathoki said. “We will initiate work once the Department of Forest and Soil Conservation grants us permission to develop infrastructures in the lake area.”