Written By Ahana Sengupta (Grade 6)
‘‘Water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink.’’ Sadly, it’s true as approximately 70% of surface water resources in India are polluted. The ugly truth is that beyond those stunning, photogenic lakes lie piles of our discarded waste. We mindlessly throw our unfiltered garbage into nature’s beautiful creations.
Lakes inspire us to shine despite all difficulties in life by still being peaceful with pristine waters under forget-me-not blue skies, accompanied by the peaceful and calming symphony of the ambient noises surrounding it, made by hummingbirds pecking away at the barks of the tress and the soft, delicate chirping of sparrows building their nests- and resembling something magical, oblivious to the fact that we regularly contaminate it. Even if there is a battle going on, the peace and tranquility of a lake remains untouched. They teach us resilience.
Lakes are crucial as well as being incredibly inspiring. They are used for the production or development of hydel power. Surprisingly, lakes are more advantageous than we think. They moderate the climate and surroundings by maintaining the aquatic ecosystem. They enhance the natural beauty, thus attracting a flock of tourists.
There are no less than 117 million lakes on our planet with more than 15,000 in India. Most of these 117 million lie low-85% are at elevations less than 500 meters above sea level. As many as 90 million are less than two football fields in size.
The largest one on Earth is no other than the Caspian Sea at a jaw-dropping 149,200 square miles. Straddling Europe and Asia, this inland salt lake borders five countries- Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Iran and Turkmenistan. However, despite its name, it is determined that the Caspian is neither lake nor sea.
Lake Baikal is very often presumed to be the most ancient as clear corroboration establishes that it is 25-30 million years old. Lake Zaysan may be even more ancient, as far back as of Cretaceous origin and at least 66-70 million years of age, but its exact age is contentious and is labelled with some unsureness.
Some lakes are like meeting points for rivers, since they do not flow, but many have rivers flowing in and out of them. The Blue Lake located in New Zealand with its blue-violet hues and tranquil landscape is indisputably the cleanest one. The origin of the word ‘lake’ is inherited from Old English ‘lacu’ from Proto-West-Germanic ‘laku’, ultimately derived from Proto-Indo-European ‘leg’. Proto-Indo-European (or PIE) is hypothesized to have been spoken from approximately 4500 BCE to 2500 BCE!
In Russia lies the Lake Karachay, the most polluted in the world. It was estimated that at its very peak, the lake accumulated roughly 4.44 hexabecquerels of radioactivity. Spending 30 minutes in there would be fatal.
The Dal Lake, nicknamed the ‘Jewel in the crown of Kashmir’ by the Jammu and Kashmir state with its nelumbo nucifera (lotus flowers), the canopied Shikaras sailing on it and its ethereal undisturbed surface, is a pride of all Indians, but contrary to what most are under the impression of, it is also drowning in municipal sewage and pollution, covered with weeds and patches of garbage. The unfortunate Hanji people (those who live in houseboats) are the ones to bear the brunt of the lake’s rapid urbanization.
India is a great and progressive country with no dearth of learned and erudite citizens, but we can take inspiration from Mother Nature and work diligently towards a cleaner and greener future. A lot of the damage humans have done is indelible, but if we try, the percentage of lakes in India which are polluted could decrease considerably from 70% to 40% and one day, maybe even zero. If nature nurtures us, we should nurture her.
Featured Image Courtesy – Bangalore Mirror
