Environmental Issues and Constraints in Lake Management: a Case Study from India

摘要

Chilka Lake (19° 28′- 19° 54′N; 85° 05′- 85° 38′E) spreading over 1100 km~2 along the east coast of India is the largest brackish water body in tropical Asia. Since the mid-eighties, the lake is allegedly dying and on the verge of environmental catastrophe. Natural forcing through heavy siltation, eutrophication and biological sedimentation has transformed a major portion of the lake into swamp, threatening its existence. Excessive human activities such as fishing, aquaculture, agriculture, recreation and tourism have caused severe biodiversity loss and pollution. Depletion of fisheries and resources has triggered several socio-economical problems in the last few years, thus, the lake has received a lot of national and international support and funding for the conservation of its ecosystem. Since 2000, the government has initiated many developmental projects in an attempt to restore the lake from further degradation, however many issues remain untouched and unachieved. This paper makes a comprehensive assessment of the integrative environmental factors that are essential to lake functioning and suggests some of the key points that need to be incorporated in the ongoing management plan for the lake.