Disappearing Lakes in India

Why in News?

In India, the lake ecosystems are disappearing at an alarming rate due to increasing anthropogenic pressures in the Anthropocene epoch and this decline of lakes raises serious concerns not only for environmental sustainability but also for economic stability and social well-being.

What are the ecological and socio-economic significance of lakes?

• Groundwater recharge – Lakes act as natural reservoirs that facilitate groundwater recharge.
• In a country like India, where a large population depends on groundwater for drinking and irrigation, lakes are essential for long-term water security.
• Flood regulation – During periods of heavy rainfall, lakes function as natural buffers by absorbing excess runoff.
• This reduces the risk of flooding in downstream areas, making them critical for disaster mitigation.
• Biodiversity hotspots – Lakes support rich biodiversity, providing habitat for aquatic flora and fauna as well as migratory birds.
  • For instance, Chilika Lake serves as a major habitat for migratory birds and is one of the largest brackish water lagoons in the world.
• Livelihood support – Lakes sustain livelihoods through fisheries, agriculture, and allied activities.
• They also provide water for domestic use and contribute to local economies via tourism and recreation.
• Cultural and spiritual importance – Many lakes in India hold deep cultural and religious significance.
  • For Example, Pushkar Lake and Dal Lake, which are integral to local traditions and rituals.
• Freshwater supply – Lakes are a major source of accessible freshwater, making their conservation directly linked to water security.

Lakes constitute one of the most vital natural resources, performing indispensable ecological, hydrological, and socio-economic functions. Globally, lakes cover nearly 4% of the Earth’s land surface and provide about 90% of surface freshwater.

Socio-ecological implications of disappearing lakes?

• Ecological imbalance – Loss of lakes disrupts ecosystems, leading to biodiversity loss and extinction of aquatic species. It also affects migratory patterns of birds and ecological food chains.
• Water scarcity – Declining lakes reduce groundwater recharge, exacerbating water scarcity, especially in urban and semi-arid regions.
• Increased flood risk – Without lakes to absorb excess rainwater, urban flooding becomes more frequent and severe.
• Economic loss – Communities dependent on lakes for fishing, agriculture, and tourism face livelihood disruptions.
• Cultural erosion – The disappearance of culturally significant lakes undermines traditional practices and community identity.

Factors responsible for the disappearance of lakes?

• Pollution and eutrophication – Lakes are increasingly used as dumping grounds for sewage and solid waste due to inadequate waste management.
• Nutrient-rich runoff from agriculture and industrial effluents leads to eutrophication, characterized by excessive algal blooms and oxygen depletion.
• This severely impacts aquatic life.
  • For example, Hussain Sagar Lake and Bellandur Lake have suffered from severe pollution.
• Encroachment and land-use change – Rapid urbanization and rising land values have led to illegal encroachment of lakebeds.
• Wetlands are often converted into real estate, shrinking or eliminating lakes entirely.
• Illegal mining – Unregulated extraction of sand and gravel from lakebeds degrades their structure and reduces water-holding capacity.
• Lakes such as Surajkund Lake and Balsamand Lake are affected by such activities.
• Unregulated tourism – Tourism increases waste generation and pollution, putting additional stress on fragile lake ecosystems.
• Cultural practices – Practices such as idol immersion contribute to water pollution and ecological stress due to the use of non-biodegradable materials.

What are the available legal and institutional framework?

• Constitutional provisions – Water is a State subject under the Indian Constitution, making states primarily responsible for the management of lakes and water bodies.
• Wetlands (conservation and management) rules, 2017 – These rules, framed under the Environment Protection Act, 1986, provide a regulatory framework for wetland conservation.
• They emphasize the principle of “wise use” and mandate the creation of State Wetland Authorities and a National Wetland Committee.
  • Limitations:
    • Applicable only to notified wetlands or Ramsar sites
    • Exclusion of wetlands within forest and protected areas
    • Fragmented institutional responsibilities
• Public Trust Doctrine (PTD) – The PTD establishes that the state holds natural resources in trust for the public.
• In Swachh Association vs State of Maharashtra (2025), the Supreme Court expanded the scope of PTD to include even artificial lakes, thereby strengthening the state’s responsibility for conservation.

What are the policy initiatives for lake conservation?

• National Lake Conservation Programme (NCLP), 2001 – This programme focused on restoring water quality and ecological balance of lakes.
• National Programme for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA) – In 2013, NCLP was merged with the National Wetlands Conservation Programme to form NPCA. It aims at integrated conservation of lakes and wetlands.
  • Limitations:
    • Coverage restricted to selected water bodies
    • Dependence on state nominations
    • Issues in funding, monitoring, and implementation
• Challenges in governance
  • Despite existing frameworks, lake conservation suffers from:
  • Fragmented institutional responsibilities
  • Weak enforcement of regulations
  • Lack of scientific mapping and monitoring
  • Limited community participation
  • The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has highlighted these governance gaps, noting significant disappearance and shrinkage of lakes in regions such as Jammu and Kashmir.

What could be done?

• Comprehensive national legislation – There is a need for a dedicated central law for lake conservation, ensuring uniform standards and accountability.
• Creation of a nodal authority – A statutory body at the national level can help coordinate efforts across states and agencies.
• Scientific mapping and monitoring – Use of GIS and remote sensing technologies can help track changes in lake ecosystems and prevent encroachment.
• Strengthening pollution control – Strict enforcement of laws regulating sewage discharge and industrial effluents is essential.
• Community participation – Involving local communities in conservation efforts can improve monitoring and ensure sustainable use.
• Sustainable urban planning – Integrating lakes into urban planning as ecological assets rather than land resources is critical.

What lies ahead?

• The disappearance of lakes in India reflects a deeper crisis of environmental governance and unsustainable development.
• Given their immense ecological and socio-economic importance, urgent and coordinated action is required to protect and restore these vital ecosystems.
• Strengthening legal frameworks, improving policy implementation, and fostering community engagement are key to ensuring that lakes continue to sustain life and livelihoods for future generations.

Reference

The Indian Express| Lakes and its Importance    

‘NARIT AI’

Why in News?

The Gujarat state police had become the first in the country to develop an AI-driven tool, NARIT AI, for strengthening narcotics investigation.

• NARIT AI – Narcotics Analysis & RAG-based Investigation Tool
• Aim
  • To strengthen the handling of narcotics cases and improve conviction rates.
  • To provide real-time analytical support to investigating officers by integrating legal provisions, case laws and procedural guidelines.
  • Designed to address procedural gaps that often weaken prosecution in narcotics cases.
• Developed by – Western Railway police, Vadodara division, in collaboration with a Mumbai-based AI startup.
• Need for the tool – Earlier, narcotics investigations were largely handled by specialised personnel, leading to increased workload and delays.
• Working – Investigating officers are required to upload the FIR into the system, following which the AI tool analyses the case and generates a detailed report.
• The report highlights strengths and weaknesses, suggests legal remedies, and provides an investigation roadmap.

Key Features

• Technology – It is a Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG)-based system designed to assist law enforcement agencies in handling complex narcotics cases under the NDPS legal framework.

• Legal & Procedural integration – The system has been trained using the NDPS Act, 1985, High Court & Supreme Court judgments, Bare Acts (BNS, BNSS, BSA), and government guidelines.
• Private AI – It is classified as a private AI system accessible only to the Gujarat Police, in line with the Gujarat High Court guidelines.
• Guidance for Investigators – It offers guidance
  • Based on High Court and Supreme Court judgments;
  • Procedural compliance inputs;
  • Evidence checklists;
  • Do’s and don’ts for investigators.
• Closed-System Privacy & Accuracy – Unlike open-source AI, it does not rely on open internet searches, ensuring data privacy & high procedural accuracy with minimal risk of AI hallucinations/false legal assumptions.
• Applicability – It is to be used by any state police or law enforcement agency in the country, not accessible to the public.
• Output – The tool generates comprehensive reports highlighting
  • Strengths and weaknesses of a case,
  • Providing an evidence checklist,
  • Even predicting potential defence arguments in court,
  • Suggest rebuttals based on past judgments, potentially strengthening prosecution outcomes.
• Impact – It will act as a force multiplier by enabling every investigating officer to conduct procedure-compliant investigations, thereby improving conviction rates.

References

1. Indian Express | AI-powered tool to weed out drug menace
2. The Hindu | Gujarat Police launch AI-powered tool

Tokara Leaf Warbler

Why in News?

Recently, Japan has officially identified a distinct bird species after 45 years, marking its first new bird discovery since the early 1980s.

• Scientific Name – Phylloscopus amamiensis.
• Common Name – Tokara Leaf Warbler.
• Genus – Phylloscopus.
• Family – Phylloscopidae (leaf warblers).
• Habitat & Distribution – Found exclusively in the Tokara Islands, Japan (endemic).

Features

• Size – Small songbird roughly 10–12 cm in length, weighing around 6–9 grams.
• Appearance – It is a "cryptic species," meaning it is nearly identical in appearance to Ijima’s Leaf Warbler (by sight alone) but clearly distinct based on DNA analyses.
  • Ijima’s leaf warbler (Phylloscopus ijimae) – A rare migratory songbird only found in the Izu Islands (endemic) south of Tokyo, Japan.
  • IUCN – Vulnerable.
• Colouration – Uniformly greyish crown (lacking darker or paler stripes), greener upperparts, and mainly whitish underparts with contrastingly pale yellow undertail-coverts.
• Beak – Pale orange lower mandible.
• Wings & Tail – Features narrow pale tips to the greater coverts, which form a thin, sometimes very indistinct, pale wing-bar.
• Song – Distinct vocalisation patterns; bird song analysis helped differentiate it from Ijima’s leaf warbler.

• Diet – Insectivorous.
• Nest Type – Globular nests built from bamboo leaves, tree leaves, lined with feathers, roots, and pine needles.
• Reproduction – Oviparous (egg‑laying).
• Risk – The bird is only known to breed on one island, making it vulnerable.
• Threats – Habitat loss, climate change and invasive species mean conservation is urgent.
• Status – Not yet formally assessed, but scientists recommend Vulnerable classification, like Ijima’s Leaf Warbler.

Quick Fact

Reference

1. Indian Express | Tokara Leaf Warbler
2. Novataxa | Tokara Leaf Warbler

International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA)

Why in News?

Ahead of the Global Big Cat Summit by IBCA, India is drafting a New Delhi Declaration, set to become the first international declaration on big cat conservation if adopted.

• IBCA – It is the first-of-its-kind multi-country, multi-agency coalition with an interest in big cat conservation.
  • 7 Big Cats – Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar, and Puma.
• Launch – Initiated by India in April 2023, marking 50 years of Project Tiger.
• Vision – To cultivate a global ecosystem where big cats thrive in harmony, achieved through international collaboration, scientific research, and community involvement.
• Headquarters – New Delhi, India.
• Partnership – It brings together 97 range countries (where these big cats live), non-range countries interested in big cat conservation, conservation partners, and scientific organisations.
• Objectives
  • To ensure cooperation for the conservation of 7 big cats by arresting the decline in population and reversing the trend.
  • To establish a central repository for knowledge sharing, capacity building, networking, advocacy, finance and support research.
• Membership – Open to all UN member states, including "range" and "non-range" countries; currently, it has 22 member countries, including India, Bhutan, Nepal, Russia, Ethiopia, Liberia, Malaysia, and others.
  • Ratified Members - India, Nicaragua, Eswatini, Somalia, and Liberia
  • Observers - Kazakhstan, Namibia, Thailand.
  • Recently Joined - Nepal (August 2025) and Russia (December 2025).
• Structure – General Assembly (apex decision-making body), A Standing Committee (governance and recommendation), & A Secretariat headed by a Director-General.

Quick Fact

India is collaborating with African nations for cheetah reintroduction (imported from Namibia, South Africa, Botswana) &  with Cambodia for translocating tigers, marking intercontinental wildlife conservation partnerships.

References

1. Indian Express | IBCA
2. IBCA | IBCA