Conservation of an inland salt water lake: a case of Sambhar Lake, Rajasthan

Abstract

Wetland is among the worId's most vulnerable habitats and active ecosystems. They pIay an important role in conserving water, controlling flooding and recharging reservoirs, providing biota with protected habitat and much more. Wetland losses are three times faster than loss of forests. According to the concept of wetland, lakes are also considered as wetlands, and depending on the chemical composition, they fall under fresh water lake and salt water lake. Many salt water lakes around the world are diminishing at aIarming IeveIs, reducing habitat and benefits for water birds, while risking human heaIth. In India, there are very few salt water lakes which exist and those which are present are getting degraded in terms of quantity and quality. Sambhar lake is one such wetland which is an inIand saIt water Iake in Rajasthan with an area of 190 sq.km. to 240 sq.km. and has a catchment area of 5700 sq.km. It got its designation as Ramsar site on March 23, 1990 because thousands of pink flamingos and waterfowl birds migrate to this lake. This lake is a breeding area for flamingos during winters. Due to large scale salt production from water of Sambhar lake, Rajasthan becomes third largest producer of salt in the country. Degradation of Sambhar lake is continuously happening over the years, with respect to surface area and in quality. Sambhar lake was earlier fed by four rivers which are currently not feeding it because of the construction of dams and anicuts on the upstream ends of those rivers. These rivers have been dry for last 40 years and as per the experts they are beyond revival. Degradation is happening due to encroachment all around the lake, over exploitation of water for salt extraction and change in Iand use and Iand cover. Due to the decrease in the surface water flamingos that used to visit lake in several thousands have reduced to just a few. Due to the water quality degradation, from November 10 - 23, 2019 more than 18,000 birds died. The lake has an ecological importance and it is degrading gradually due to anthropogenic activities and it would get fully degraded in the coming years. The aim of this academic exercise is to study and assess the impacts of various activities which have Ied to the degradation of the Iake and to formulate strategies for its conservation. For achieving the aim, objectives have been formulated. Under each of the objectives, various analyses have been done and then proposals for conserving the lake have been developed.