Context
The National Green Tribunal has directed the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board to inspect the Lower Lake and submit a detailed report with geo-referenced evidence.
About Lower Lake
- Lower Lake, also known as Chhota Talaab, is a man-made lake located in Bhopal.
- It was constructed in 1794 by Chote Khan, a minister under Nawab Hayat Muhammad Khan Bahadur, primarily to enhance the city’s landscape by integrating several existing water sources.
- The lake, along with the nearby Upper Lake (Bada Talaab), forms part of the Bhoj Wetland, which has international importance as a Ramsar site.
- Geographically, the Lower Lake lies to the east of the Upper Lake, and both are separated by an overbridge known as Pul Pukhta (Lower Lake Bridge).
- The two lakes are designed in a terraced structure, where the lowest level of the Upper Lake aligns closely with the highest level of the Lower Lake, allowing hydrological linkage.
- Together, these lakes supply water to nearly 40% of Bhopal’s population, highlighting their importance for urban water needs.
- The Lower Lake covers an area of 1.29 sq. km with a catchment of 9.6 sq. km, receives water mainly through subsurface seepage from the Upper Lake, and drains into the Patra rivulet, which ultimately joins the Halali River.
