Indian Ambassador to Nepal Ranjit Rae said the Indian government was ready to extend support for protection of Phewa Lake, an important tourist site, in Pokhara.

Inaugurating the 16th street festival organised by Restaurant and Bar Association of Nepal at Basundhara Park, on the banks of Phewa Lake, Pokhara, Rae pledged to provide equipment necessary to remove water hyacinth that has ruined lake’s beauty. “The Indian government is ready to provide machines which were used in Kerala, India, to remove weed from the water,” Rae added.

Rae asked people to build a circuit around the lake and said the Indian government was ready to assist in the task. He asked Pokhara Sub-metropolis and Nepal Tourism Board to send a formal proposal to the Indian government in this regard. He further reminded that India and Nepal could work together to develop tourism in Nepal.

Reminding that a team of artistes had come from as far as Gujarat in India to perform in the festival, Rae said the two countries could exchange culture for promotion of tourism in both nations. “For mutual tourism development, a public-private partnership concept will be useful,” Rae said. He added that the two countries could work together to implement the proposal of Budhha circuit as suggested by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 18th SAARC Summit in Kathmandu reports The Himalayan Times.