The Jammu and Kashmir government has scrapped the ₹416.72-crore plan to restore and conserve Dal Lake. This was announced in the J&K Assembly after a question by NC legislator Tanvir Sadiq. Instead, the government has proposed an in-situ conservation plan. This approach allows lake dwellers to continue living on Dal Lake. The old plan, started in 2009 under the Manmohan Singh government, aimed to shift around 9,000 families from the lake. It targeted problems like shrinking lake area, poor water quality, pollution, and rising population. But only about 1,808 families were relocated in 17 years. The relocation colony in Bemina faced flooding and lacked basic facilities. The plan achieved just 27% of its goal. Dal Lake faces severe challenges. A 2022 survey by SKUAST found extreme pollution, invasive plants and animals, untreated sewage, deforestation, and blocked water channels harming the lake. These issues have worsened water quality, causing weed growth and changed biodiversity. In 2022, a High-Level Committee suggested in-situ conservation, calling lake dwellers an "integral part of the lake ecosystem." The J&K Lake Conservation and Management Authority (LCMA) must frame a policy for this. Some relocation will continue for priority hamlets following current rules. The government identified 58 hamlets on the lake. Six will get two modular Sewage Treatment Plants. Under the Prime Minister’s Development Package, an integrated management programme has been drafted by IIT Roorkee. It plans to spend ₹212.38 crore over five years. The project targets sewerage in 28 hamlets, treats inflow water, dredges inner channels, and widens water channels for smooth navigation. The Finance Department's approval is awaited. Kachri Mohalla, a hamlet on the lake, already works as a modern village. The new plan aims to balance conservation with residents’ lives for a healthier Dal Lake future.