STATUS OF THE LAKES IN AND AROUND MELKOTE

A CASE STUDY

M .C. RAGHUVEER**

**Student, II PUC, MES Kishore Kendra PU College, Bangalore 560003

email:sampathmc61@yahoo.comPaper for the lake 2006: Symposium on Environment

Education and Ecosystem Conservation, 28-30 DEC 2006, IISc., Bangalore.

ABSTRACTABSTRACT

The study consisted in making field observations, The study consisted in making field observations, status of the lake with reference to pollution and status of the lake with reference to pollution and encroachment, salient features of the lake and simple encroachment, salient features of the lake and simple lake water quality analysis. The tanks that were taken lake water quality analysis. The tanks that were taken for study werefor study were

(i)(Kalyani (ii)Veda (iii)Dharba (iv)Palasa (v)Padma (i)(Kalyani (ii)Veda (iii)Dharba (iv)Palasa (v)Padma (vi)Mytreya (vii)Narayana (viii) Vaikunthaganga.(vi)Mytreya (vii)Narayana (viii) Vaikunthaganga.

Based on the status suitable measures have been Based on the status suitable measures have been discussed for the upkeep of the tanks, taking into discussed for the upkeep of the tanks, taking into consideration local factors. consideration local factors.

STATUS OF THE LAKES STATUS OF THE LAKES

The number of lakes and tanks in and The number of lakes and tanks in and around Melkote (area of Case Study) around Melkote (area of Case Study) has shrinked and gone down drastically. has shrinked and gone down drastically. Some of the lakes have been utilised for Some of the lakes have been utilised for development of houses as residential development of houses as residential areas. Some of them have been areas. Some of them have been neglected. Some of them have been neglected. Some of them have been misused. misused.

MYTREYA TANKMYTREYA TANK

VEDA TANKVEDA TANK

FIELD OBSERVATIONS FIELD OBSERVATIONS Kalyani Tank: Kalyani Tank:

This is situated in the midst of Melkote village. This This is situated in the midst of Melkote village. This is fed by five wells in the tank. The size of the tank is fed by five wells in the tank. The size of the tank is 500x500ft. Average depth of the tank is 25 ft. is 500x500ft. Average depth of the tank is 25 ft. Water is pale green in colour. The tank is well Water is pale green in colour. The tank is well defined by steps on all sides. The tank is used for defined by steps on all sides. The tank is used for bathing. bathing.

Veda Tank: Veda Tank: This is also called Vedapushkarni. The tank is This is also called Vedapushkarni. The tank is thousand years old. This is mainly rainfed tank. thousand years old. This is mainly rainfed tank. The size of the tank is 50x50ft. Average depth of The size of the tank is 50x50ft. Average depth of the tank is 20ft. Water is highly turbid with the tank is 20ft. Water is highly turbid with suspended matter and dead plants. This is situated suspended matter and dead plants. This is situated to the south of the village. It has well defined steps to the south of the village. It has well defined steps allround. allround.

Dharba Tank: Dharba Tank:

This is situated to the south of the village. This is This is situated to the south of the village. This is mainly rainfed tank. The size of the tank is 30x30ft. mainly rainfed tank. The size of the tank is 30x30ft. Average depth of the tank is 18ft. Water is dark green Average depth of the tank is 18ft. Water is dark green in colour. The tank is covered by canopy of trees. in colour. The tank is covered by canopy of trees. The tank is not exposed to sunlight. The tank has The tank is not exposed to sunlight. The tank has well defined boundary of stone steps. well defined boundary of stone steps.

Padma Tank: Padma Tank:

Water is dark green in colour. This is situated to the Water is dark green in colour. This is situated to the west of the village. The size of the tank is 50x50ft. west of the village. The size of the tank is 50x50ft. The tank is surrounded by thick vegetation on all The tank is surrounded by thick vegetation on all sides. Average depth of the tank is 18ft. The Tank sides. Average depth of the tank is 18ft. The Tank has well defined stone steps. has well defined stone steps.

Palasha Tank: Palasha Tank:

This is situated to the south of the village. This is This is situated to the south of the village. This is mainly a rainfed tank. The size of the tank is 70x70 mainly a rainfed tank. The size of the tank is 70x70 ft. Average depth of the tank is 18 ft. Water is dark ft. Average depth of the tank is 18 ft. Water is dark green in colour. The tank has well defined steps all green in colour. The tank has well defined steps all round. round.

Mytreya Tank: Mytreya Tank:

This is situated to the north of the village. This is This is situated to the north of the village. This is mainly rainfed tank. As it is close to dwellings, the mainly rainfed tank. As it is close to dwellings, the tank is used for cloth washing and other domestic tank is used for cloth washing and other domestic activities of the nearby houses. The size of the tank activities of the nearby houses. The size of the tank is 60x50 ft. It has an average depth of 10 ft. The is 60x50 ft. It has an average depth of 10 ft. The tank has well defined steps in stone and it has stone tank has well defined steps in stone and it has stone boundary on all sides. boundary on all sides.

Narayana Tank: Narayana Tank:

This is situated to the north of the village. This is This is situated to the north of the village. This is mainly rainfed tank. The size of the tank is 50x50 ft. mainly rainfed tank. The size of the tank is 50x50 ft. Average depth is 15 ft. The tank has well defined Average depth is 15 ft. The tank has well defined steps on all sides. It has a stone boundary on all steps on all sides. It has a stone boundary on all sides. sides.

Vaikunthaganga Tank: Vaikunthaganga Tank:

The tank is situated to the south of the village. The The tank is situated to the south of the village. The tank is used for religious activities. The tank is in a tank is used for religious activities. The tank is in a dumbel shape with the connecting neck length of dumbel shape with the connecting neck length of 200 ft. The length of the tank on either side is 20 ft. 200 ft. The length of the tank on either side is 20 ft. with a width of 15 ft. It is surrounded by rock with a width of 15 ft. It is surrounded by rock formation. formation.

SALIENT FEATURES OF THE TANKS:

Parameters Kalyani Veda Darbha Padma Palasha Mytreya NarayanaVaikunta

Ganga

1. Water surface area (in sq. ft.) 2,50,000 2500 900 2500 4900 3000 2500 800

2. Avg. Water Depth (in ft.) 25 20 18 18 18 10 15 5

3. Annual Range of Temperature

19-26 19-26 19-26 19-26 19-26 19-26 19-26 19-26

4. Age (in years)

800 1000 800 800 800 800 800 800

5. Presence of organic matter Low High Moderate Low High Low Low Low

AQUATIC LIFE IN THE TANKS:

• Fish life sparsely present in Veda, Dharba, Padma, Mytreyi and Vaikuntaganga tanks.

• Fish life present in Kalyani, Narayana and Palasha tanks.

AQUATIC WEEDS IN THE TANKS

• Aquatic weeds were present in Veda, Padma, Palasha and Darbha tanks.

• Aquatic weeds absent in Kalyani, Narayana, Mytreya tanks and Vaikunthaganga tanks.

BIRD LIFE AROUND THE TANKS

• Bird Life present near Padma, Palasha, Darbha and Veda Tanks.

• Bird life absent near Kalyani, Mytreya, Vaikunthaganga and Narayana Tanks.

LAKE WATER ANALYSIS

Tank pH ColourSuspended

matterOdour

1. Kalyani 9 Pale green medium Medium

2. Veda 12 Pale brown high Strong

3. Darbha 11 Dark green high strong

4. Padma 10 Green moderate Weak

5. Palasha 11 Dark green High Strong

6. Mytreya 11 Dark green low Moderate

7.Narayana 9 Pale green low Moderate

8. Vaikuntaganga

10 green high strong

DISCUSSION • Awareness should be created in public

regarding Tank sanitation.

• Regular maintenance and monitoring of the tanks should be carried out by local municipalities.

• Usage of tanks by cattle and people for domestic purposes are found to be the salient feature of some of the tanks observed.

• Most of the tanks observed except Kalyani, Mytreya lacked proper maintenance.

• Due to lack of maintenance of the tanks fish life was minimum.

• As most of the tanks are more than 800 years old, removal of sediments has to be carried out. This is practiced only for the Kalyani Tank.

• Proper Maintenance of the footpaths leading o the tanks to be taken care of since inaccessibility causes negligence.

• Tree Canopy Cover as in the case of Darbha Tank , Partial cover in Veda Tank to be trimmed for proper sunlight to the tanks.

• Renovation of Tanks to attract Tourism to be explored.

• Adoption of Tanks by Organisations to be encouraged.

CONCLUSION

• All the tanks have suffered deterioration of water quality.

• By proper environmental measures,

quality of the Tank waters can be revived.

• Missing species of fish in the tanks can be revived by aquaculture introduced into the Tanks.

• Regular maintenance and monitoring of the Tanks to be implemented.

• Detailed Lab Analysis to be carried out for further improvements.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTACKNOWLEDGEMENT Thanks to the Principal,

MESKK Junior College

Parents, Brother & Aunt

Villagers of Melkote

CES, IISc.

for creating this opportunity.

THANK YOUTHANK YOU