The degradation that the Lake is being subjected to is evident from the Baanganga Bridge. On the left, the shoreline of the Lake has appreciably advanced, forcing the waters to retreat. There is a garden where once there was water. Further up, bungalows of powerful, influential and well-connected have come up or are coming up right on the banks, breaching all rules relating to setback from the shoreline. Still ahead, Jain and Hanuman temples have, likewise, come up right on the banks of the Lake. On the opposite bank the Naval Wing of the NCC has been merrily reclaiming land from the Lake and has created a dry patch for its boats close to the now-defunct boat club.

The encroachments have come up without any let or hindrance. The Lake, apparently, is nobody's baby. Although, the Municipal Corporation (BMC) is the custodian of the Bhoj Wetland of which the Lake is a part, it doesn't ever seem to have taken any steps to demolish the encroachments. The constructions have been there for months, even years and some are on-going. How these were allowed or are being allowed is mystifying and deserve to be investigated. Apparently, the BMC has neither the will nor the resources. Or, perhaps it just doesn't care!

While presiding over the General Meeting of the EPCO last August Hon. Governor issued specific directions that encroachments from lakes should be removed and saplings should be planted on the vacated land to ensure soil conservation. The then Environment Minister and EPCO Vice Chairman promptly gave him an assurance of implementing the directions. However, no action yet appears to be in the offing. Since non-compliance of Hon. Governor's directions does not entail proceedings equivalent to "contempt of court" these generally fall on deaf ears. Hopefully this one will be acted upon to conserve the city's lakes

Encroachments apart, the Lake has been overrun by aquatic plants. And, why wouldn't it be? Nutrients, in the shape of sewage, flow into it in huge quantities. The heavy expenditure incurred by Bhoj Wetland Project on laying a sewer line for carrying away sewage proved futile because of faulty design. Unable to make the gradient, the heavy accumulating contents burst the pipes, disgorging sewage into the Lake. They do so till today - preventing the use of the Lake and its beautiful ambience as sites for tourism and recreation.

Neglect and apathy of its custodians are killing the Lake. That it is a part of our heritage and, perhaps, more importantly, of a Ramsar Site which makes it a water body of international importance, means little to them. The Lake Conservation Authority is located in the city, but has been a mute witness to the fast decline of the Lake. It has neither teeth nor the wherewithal. Surviving on the interest of the unexpended Bhoj Wetland Project funds that should have legitimately gone to the BMC for the upkeep of the Wetland, the Authority is an expensive dud foisted on the people.

Everyone bandies the sobriquet "the city of lakes" for the town. Even the chief minister, while proposing to the Prime Minister to make Bhopal a Global Environment City, extolled the city's "unique natural features like expansive lakes, adequate green cover, hills..." Yet, he has done precious little for their conservation. He could, perhaps, make a beginning by initiating conservational measures for the Lower Lake.