Ministry of Environment and Forests has been implementing the National
Lake Conservation Plan (NLCP) since 2001 for conservation and management
of polluted and degraded lakes in urban and semi-urban areas. The major
objectives of NLCP include encouraging and assisting state Governments for
sustainable management and conservation of
lakes. Initially the scheme was approved as a 100% Centrally-sponsored
scheme, but was changed to 70-30 cost-sharing between Centre and State, from
2002. Since resources are limited a criteria was developed for
prioritizing of lakes which needed to be conserved first.
Lakes being major sources of
accessible fresh water, require well planned, sustainable and scientific
efforts to prevent their degradation and ultimate death. The
different problems encountered in the lake include excessive influx of sediments
from the lake catchment, discharge of untreated or partially treated
sewage & industrial waste waters/solid waste disposal, entry of diffused
source nutrients from agricultural and forestry, improper management of
storm water/combined with over abstraction, over-exploitation of lake
for activities like recreation, fishing, encroachments, land reclamation
resulting in lake shrinkage, shoreline erosion and impact on lake
hydrology, deterioration in water quality and impact on bio diversity,
climate change etc.
Activities covered under NLCP are:
Prevention of pollution from point
sources by intercepting, diverting and treating the pollution loads
entering the lake. The interception and diversion works may include sewerage
& sewage treatment for the entire lake catchment area.
(i) In situ measures of lake
cleaning such as de-silting, de-weeding, bioremediation, aeration,
bio-manipulation, nutrient reduction, withdrawal of anoxic hypolimn
ion, constructed wetland approach or any other successfully tested
eco-technologies etc depending upon the site conditions.
(ii) Catchment area treatment which
may include afforestation, storm water drainage, silt traps etc.
(iii) Strengthening of bund, lake
fencing, shoreline development etc.
(iv) Lake front eco-development
including public interface.
(v) Solid waste
management & provision of dhobi ghats is generally not covered
under NLCP.
(vi) Prevention of pollution from
non-point sources by providing low cost sanitation.
(vii) Public awareness and public
participation.
(viii) Capacity building, training
and research in the area of Lake Conservation.
(ix) Any other activity depending
upon location specific requirements.
Existing legal provisions are:
- The Water (Prevention and Control)
of Pollution Act 1974
- Environment (Protection) Act 1986
- The National Environment Policy
2006
Sources:
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