The Kolkata Improvement Trust has a long term vision for transforming the Rabindra Sarovar premise into an ecological hub and a centre of sports, active tourism and recreational/ leisure zones for both the locals as well as tourists visiting the city. However, the reality differs. Saikat Kumar Basu and Pallav Mukhopadhyay report from ground zero.
The artificial lake, Rabindra Sarovar (formerly Dhakuria Lake) and the adjoining area in South Kolkata represent the green lungs of densely populated eastern India. Around 38% of the total area constitutes the water body (Rabindra Sarovar) while a green zone dotted with century old plants and trees comprises of residual area. Renamed by KIT (then CIT) in May 1958 as Rabindra Sarovar in honour of Rabindranath Tagore, the lake is a major recreational centre of the city.
Growing Challenges
The dependence of the local slum dwellers on the lake for their daily sustenance and exploitation of the fish resources of the lake indiscriminately, are a serious threat with respect to the ecology and biodiversity of the lake. In addition, idol immersion, irresponsible dumping of domestic wastes, kitchen wastes, plastic carry bags, bottles and containers, besides defecation, bathing/ washing by slum dwellers have been a local nuisance. Erosion along the east banks of the lake has been possibly due to extensive use by the local slum residents as bathing stations in the past and is in urgent need of critical care.
Idols immersed in lake water have detrimental impact due to shifts in the water pH, temperature, biochemical, chemical and dissolved oxygen demands. They impact the level of water colour, turbidity, total dissolved solids, alkalinity, hardness and calcium. Oil and grease levels of the water negatively impact the health of the aquatic ecosystem. Further, toxic pollutants such as nickel, lead, chromium, cadmium and mercury used in the paints of idols and use of plaster of Paris, paper, wood and thermocol (thermoplastic polymer) increase water contamination and sedimentation.
Lack of proper maintenance in clearing the lake water from invading aquatic vegetation is a third challenge, that hinders & the ecological health of the lake. The quality of service and
maintenance is inadequate, monitoring is a challenge and poor lighting conditions create security concern. Accidental deaths due to carelessness and nontrained swimmers have been reported.
Mobile food vendors inside the premises are another causal factor for local pollution and garbage dumping. The pathways and cycling avenues have been improved; however, without proper maintenance they have started showing signs of degradation. Lack of awareness among the public is hampering the restoration of the ecological and environmental quality of the lake premise. A comprehensive urban planning will be needed for long term sustenance of the lake and adjoining area.
Efforts Made
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is working towards protecting the environment of the lake and the adjoining area under stringent directions of the State Pollution Control Board. Recently, a curb has been implemented on the careless dumping of domestic wastes in and around the vicinity of the lake. However, restoration is challenging with respect to the shortages of available fund as well as the dismal nature of the area due to little or no maintenance. As per the KMC officials, the restoration of the lake ecosystem would be quite expensive due to challenges of dealing with consistent algal blooms, aquatic weed infestations and dumped wastes around the lake shore. The drainage system will need adequate revamping, and rapid erosion of the shore has to be taken care of along with improvement in the aesthetics.
Awareness about the ecology and fragile biodiversity of this unique ecosystem within a busy city is slowly gaining momentum. Civil groups and clubs are holding campaigns towards restoration and maintenance of the lake ecosystem. The level of consciousness in keeping the lake water and adjoining premises free from pollution and disturbances have certainly increased. The lake, for the past five-six decades has been a point of positive social interaction and appreciation of aesthetics and beauties of the natural world, and we need to realize all good things come at some costs. Security/surveillance of the entire area was vastly improved by taking measures, such as huge iron gates were installed at the entry/exit points along with private security guards posted for monitoring and regular patrolling. However, still steps are needed for continued sustainability and protection of this artificial ecosystem.
The important beautification/value addition steps recently adopted include:
- Pay and use toilet along with drinking water facility for visitors.
- In the Safari Park, the main pedestrian path cutting across the park in two halves, has not only been paved with high end designed ceramic tiles, but also been beautifully lined with huge number of flower-pots housing again varieties of flowers and plantations which one can keep looking at incessantly.
- Restriction is imposed on carrying plastic bags inside the area.
- Boundary walls are constructed along the most disturbed sections of the lake region. The local slum dwellers are not allowed to wash utensils and clothes, bathe or defecate along the lake perimeter and dumping of domestic wastes to some extent.
Initiatives to be taken
- Most important aspects of the restoration of the lake are appropriate management and regular monitoring and surveillance of the water body along with establishment of stringent security arrangements.
- It is important to stop using the lake as a free and illegal water source for the local slums.
- Stopping illegal and unauthorized swimming and fishing and imposing financial penalties for violators.
- Idols immersion should be stopped.
- Cleaning after every 2-3 months will significantly improve the lake water and environment, if done properly and judiciously with stringent and dedicated supervision.
- If the water quality is restored back to normal biochemical and biological parameters, the lake could be efficiently used as an important fresh water resource for rearing fishes to marketable size.
- A fishermen’s cooperative could be established by the city administrative council to cater to the fish production unit. This will bring in employment for the local youths and fishermen families. The profits could be used.
- Legal fish tags and fish licenses could also be sold to professional and amateur anglers and this will bring in additional cash flow for better management.
- Several local, regional and national level swimming and yachting clubs share the lake along with the local city authorities. All these stake holders must coordinate and cooperate with the local administration for proper management and share expenses for the clean up costs of the lake. Most of these clubs have paid members and hence, should be made responsible and stakeholders in the management process. Each such club and organization will be responsible for proper maintenance, collection and
control of debris/garbage. If any visible pollutant(s) is too big and difficult or dangerous to handle safely by them, that should be immediately informed to the lake management authority. - Garbage collected within the lake campus need to be disposed off regularly for avoiding pollution.
There are ample opportunities to add more trees, shrubs, annual, biannual and perennial herbs, ornamentals and medicinal plants in and around this majestic water body
and the lake campus This will help prevent soil erosion.- This would also attract several bird species both resident and migratory that visit the city annually; and several smaller mammals to share the habitat along with thousands of visitors who come to enjoy the beauty of this national lake every day.
- Professional landscaping can give an attractive touch to the campus and increase the property and aesthetics value of the site several folds and attract more visitors and tourists per annum.
- The bank of the water body is seriously impacted due to sever anthropogenic pressures at different places and has been causing rapid degradation of the lake. This needs to be immediately taken care of.
- The depth of the water body has become shallow at different stretches impacting the long term health and sustainability of the lake. This also needs to be taken care of with
immediate attention. - The lake could serve as an important reservoir for the monsoon flash floods that is so common in the southern part of the densely populated city.
- Older channels and water networks need to be restructured and new irrigation and drainage canals need to be established connecting them to the lake for efficient management of occasional flash floods during the monsoon.
- The additional flow of water will help keep the water body hydrated and saturated. It will reduce pollution during the summer and would support the long term health of the lake.
- The lake campus is frequently used by several local television and film producing companies for their outdoor shootings. The lake management authority should look for procuring prescribed fees for such activities.
- All licensed food vendors and hawkers, restaurants, cricket and football clubs, clubs associated with aquatic sports and other member organizations operating within the
lake premise and the adjoining campus should be made legally responsible and punishable under law for not maintaining the peace and serenity of the site and for not following protocols for properly dumping their respective garbage load at designated spots.
