RAMGARH LAKE OF GORAKHPUR, INDIA

*Dr. Tulika Mishra, Neha Kumari Sonkar and Archana Kushwaha

ABSTRACT

Water is life for all the living organisms which is present on earth. Water is needed to ensure food security, feed livestock, and take up industrial production and to conserve the environment. Water scarcity involves water stress, water shortage or deficits, and water crisis. India is home to 18 percent of the global population but has only 4% of the global water resources and is one of the largest water users per unit of gross domestic product. This suggests that the way in which India manages its scarce water resources accounts for much of its water woes. Growth in urban population leads to additional water demand of 12,420 MLD in urban areas and is expected to grow at a rate of 4.2% per year till 2025. There is a vast gap between the demand and supply of water in urban areas of India. According to a study by the Centre for Science and Environment, 48% of urban water supply in India comes from ground water. Ground water exploitation for commercial and domestic use in most cities is leading to reduction in ground water level. The Asian Development Bank has forecast that by 2030, India will have a water deficit of 50%. Integrated holistic approach towards managing urban water supply is needed in India, which aligns with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals to be achieved by 2030 regarding availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. Much of the water crisis in India is caused not by natural disasters, but rather because of severe mismanagement of water resources, poor governance, anthropogenic wastes and apathy about the magnitude of the crisis. The increased value of solid wastes and other hazardous waste in water systems such as rivers, ponds, lakes and canals also heavily pollute the water quality. This paper elucidates various measures for sustainable urban water management especially in Uttar Pradesh. Recycling and treating sewage water can also help us meet out the water scarcities in urban areas. Protection and conservation of Water bodies/ Ponds, recharging the ground water and the aquifers hold the key importance. The need of the hour is conservation of shrinking water bodies, wetlands and dying lakes. The case study of Ramgarh lake of Gorakhpur area has been mentioned in this paper which is the affected lungs of the city.

Keywords: Urbanization, Integrated Water Resource Management, Ramgarh Lake.