Why in the News?

• Naini Lake, a key attraction in Nainital, has reached a water level of 4.7 feet, its lowest in five years.

Key Points:

Concerns Over Drinking Water Scarcity:

⇒ Experts warn that Naini Lake’s water level may drop below the "zero level," raising concerns about drinking water shortages before summer.

⇒ The "zero level" does not indicate complete drying but refers to the lake’s water falling below its normal gauge level, determined based on historical data.

Water Extraction and Declining Levels:

⇒ Naini Lake, with a deepest point of 89 feet, has a gauge level of 12 feet.

⇒ Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan extracts 10 million litres daily to supply drinking water to Nainital.

⇒ Reduced snowfall and rainfall during winter, along with long-term maintenance issues, have contributed to the drop.

Historical and Geographical Significance:

⇒ Naini Lake is a natural kidney-shaped lake surrounded by seven hills in Nainital.

⇒ English businessman P. Barron discovered it in the mid-19th century, leading to Nainital’s development as a British hill station.

Rising Demand and Impact on the Lake:

⇒ According to environmental scientists, in 2024 Naini Lake supplied 76% of the city's water.

⇒ Population growth, increased tourism, and commercial activities have negatively impacted the lake.

Human-Induced Degradation:

⇒ A 2017 Uttarakhand State Council for Science and Technology report found that Naini Lake faces the most human-made disturbances among Kumaon lakes.

⇒ Issues include unplanned construction, encroachments, and degradation of recharge zones.

⇒ Concrete structures reduce rainwater infiltration, worsening water shortages in low-rainfall years.

⇒ Dumping debris into Sukhatal Lake, a crucial recharge source, has caused it to shrink from its original two-hectare area.

⇒ Encroachments and illegal constructions have reduced the lake's catchment area, with houses and hotels expanding near the lake.

Pollution and Civic Issues:

⇒ Discharge of untreated wastewater and improper solid waste disposal contribute to pollution.

⇒ Inadequate sewer systems lead to sewage overflow into stormwater drains, which discharge into the lake.

Changing Weather Patterns and Climate Impact:

⇒ Climate change has altered weather patterns in Uttarakhand.

⇒ A study by Climate Trends found that between 1970 and 2022, annual mean temperatures in the state increased by 1.5°C.

⇒ Rising temperatures have affected rainfall and snowfall patterns.

⇒ Annual rainfall declined from 2,400 mm in 2022 to 2,000 mm in 2024.

⇒ Nainital received only 107 mm of rainfall from January to March 2025, lower than in previous years.

⇒ While the region had four snowfall days in winter 2022, it had none in 2025.

⇒ Naini Lake reached zero level only twice in the 1900s but has exceeded that mark over ten times since 2000.

Need for Rejuvenation and Conservation Efforts:

⇒ Several legal petitions have sought to protect the lake, with a Supreme Court ruling in 1993 banning commercial complexes in Nainital.

⇒ However, unregulated construction, including homestays and building on wetlands, continues.

⇒ In 2021, concerns were raised about the Sukhatal Lake revamp project, leading to a Public Interest Litigation(PIL) in the Uttarakhand High Court.

⇒ The HC halted construction in November 2022, but work resumed in 2024 under a beautification plan.