Sambhar Lake needs faster restoration: study

• Due to degradation of soil and water quality, Sambhar Salt Lake in Rajasthan needs a faster restoration for conservation of its wetland and salt brine.
• According to an expert study on the lake’s ecology, the restoration will worth $300 million.
• The study is done by a research team of the Central University of Rajasthan’s School of Earth Sciences.

Key findings:

• In 2019, there was the death of more than 20,000 birds belonging to about 10 species which migrate annually to the lake.
• The migratory birds died in lake area was mainly due to avian botulism.
• 30% of the Sambhar Lake’s area had been lost to mining and other activities, including the illegal salt pan encroachments.
• The loss of ecosystem of lake also threaten the livelihoods of local people who have always lived in harmony with the lake and its ecology.

• a reduction of wetland from 30.7% to 3.4% at a constant rate with its conversion into saline soil,

• The saline soil is increased by 9.3%
• The future predictions had depicted a loss of 40% of wetland and 120% of saline soil and net increase of 30% vegetation, 40% settlement, 10% salt pan and 5% barren land.
• The population of migratory birds has also declined in Sambhar Salt Lake because of degradation.

Sambhar Lake:

• It is India's largest inland saltwater body located near Jaipur in Rajasthan.
• Lake is surrounded on all sides by the Aravali hills.
• It is the source of most of Rajasthan's salt production.
• It was designated as wetland of ‘international importance’ under the Ramsar Convention, declared in 1990.
• It receives water from six rivers - Samaod, Khari, Mantha, Khandela, Medtha, and Roopangarh.
• Mostly migratory birds like Flamingoes, pelicans and the waterfowls are found near the Sambhar Lake.