18-06-2013, 11:27 AM
REDEVELOPMENT OF SALIM ALI LAKE
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Introduction
Water is the most vital requirement of living organisms. Humans depend on water for food
production and all social and cultural activities such as industrial production, energy generation,
microclimate regulation (cooling/heating), waste disposal, navigation, recreation, aesthetics etc .
Water brings people of various communities together without any bias. Water is available from
various resources like lakes, rivers, ponds, manmade reservoirs etc. Lakes are natural sources of
water. They provide many socio-cultural and recreational benefits, some of which are directly
translated into direct economic benefits through tourism.
In today’s life it is observed that due to rapid urbanization, lakes have been affected in more than
one way. The anthropogenic activities and the growing population pressures have resulted in
unplanned growth of the cities. This has led to the encroachment on the lakes, direct discharge of
industrial effluents and unregulated dumping of solid wastes.
Many lakes have been lost in this process and remaining are reducing to cesspools.
If the lakes are conserved by taking appropriate measures, these water bodies will generate
conducive and cleaner climate and promote better environment .The wetlands will present a
picturesque view to help the surrounding areas to develop recreational activities and also promote
tourism.
The benefits and advantages of lakefront are manifold, ranging from economic benefits,
environmental benefits to social/community benefits. The water front development encourages
people to come back to the water for entertainment, recreation and quality of life amenities
Salim Ali Lake
Salim Ali Sarovar (lake) popularly known as Salim Ali Talab is located near Delhi Gate, opposite
Himayat Bagh, Aurangabad. It is located in the northern part of the city. During the Mughal
period it was known as Khiziri Talab. It has been renamed after the great ornithologist and
naturalist Salim Ali.
AIM
To offer a wide variety of recreational and commercial opportunities for tourists and local
residents while maintaining the integrity of the waterfront ecosystem, as well as
maintaining and increasing public access and views of the Lake.
OBJECTIVES
1) To maintain and enhance the access to the lake
2) To improve the pedestrian experience with high quality streetscape and waterfront
amenities
3) To maintain the ecological balance of the lake and hence protect it as the habitat for
migratory and local birds
4) To develop the area in a way that the local culture and heritage is reflected in design
Redevelopment of the lake by studying the social aspects of the community around the lake, the
morphology of the lake and its surrounding and also by studying the ecology of the lake.
Issues at Salim Ali Lake
A study of land use pattern around the lake revels that in the last decade, the upper catchment
area of lake was used for construction of residential buildings. The development of residential
area results in disposal of sewage in the lake directly. Under enormous pressure of the
construction activities, the natural feeder canal, which gather the water in the lake are blocked.
The quantity of sewage added in the lake is increasing year after year and the upper catchment
area is getting concentrated by the commercial complexes and buildings
The solid waste from the residential area is dumped into the catchments of lake, which enters
into the lake whenever there is rain. The large area of catchment is now covered with water
hyacinths and acacia trees because of excessive addition of phosphates from detergents and
nitrates from excretory waste.
As the lake is surrounded by residential area the people are disposing religious waste in it which
contaminates the water body. These added contaminants are responsible for the destruction of
habitat and can cause the impact on migratory bird’s habitat.