The Jammu and Kashmir government today said the Centre had approved Rs 120 crore for conservation and management of Wullar Lake in the state.
The first instalment of Rs 30 crore was released by the Centre during 2011-12 against which Rs 20.61 crore had been utilised up to December last, Forests and Environment minister Altaf Ahmed informed the state assembly.
He said the area of the lake as per toposheet of 1911 was 217.58 sq kms which includes 58.37 sq kms of associated marshes.
The area got reduced to 176 sq kms due to land use change, the minister informed the House.
He, however, said as per revenue records, the actual area excluding associated marshes is 130 sq kms and it has been demarcated in 2011-12 with 1159 boundary pillars by the Wullar Conservation and Management Authority.
