The Lakhana Lake, just like any other lake in our country, has been turned into a garbage dumping ground. Excessive garbage dumping on the lake’s surface has led to the introduction of plastic particles and accumulation of contaminants. This has deteriorated its water quality and affected aquatic organisms that directly depend on the lake.

Increase in the presence of plastic pollutants in our water bodies has far-reaching consequences that we often fail to notice. On one hand, the ecological balance of the water body is affected, while on the other, these plastic particles are ingested by aviary and terrestrial species.

Let’s not deny it. We’ve seen animals eat plastic – on our roads full of piled up garbage, on our beaches full of single-use plastics and balloons, and on our oceans full of plastic pollution. From marine mammals, sea birds to terrestrial animals, plastic enters the stomach of every other species. Of course, the homo sapiens do consume their share of plastics too. But not as large pieces that result in immediate starvation and death.

Plastic is often ingested by stray cows and cattle which forage for food on the roads. The plight of these animals is a major concern as plastic gets accumulated in their rumens and intestines, leading to a slow and painful death.

Stomach-filling Plastic can be Life-killing

Did you know that an alarming 71 kgs of plastic and metal waste was found inside a dead cow’s stomach in Faridabad? (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/faridabad/inside-a-stray-cows-stomach-71kg-of-plastic-metal/articleshow/81199562.cms)

Cows eating plastic in the periphery of the Lakhana Lake

With constant dumping of municipal household waste, the Lakhana Lake was abused with huge amounts of non-biodegradable trash. Thus, it is important for us to realize that the well-being of our water bodies and animals is directly linked to proper waste disposal and prevention of garbage dumping in our water bodies.

The City’s Greed is the Lake’s Grief

The Lakhana Lake is situated in the Sanand municipality, which is located around 20 kms west of the Ahmedabad district in Gujarat. With major manufacturing units of domestic and foreign companies, the city is an industrial hub of Western India. Being a major manufacturing hub, the Viramgam highway runs towards the western part of the Lakhana Lake.

Despite the city’s rapid urbanization, two other lakes- Bhadreti Lake and Ghadiya Lake lie on the western and southern regions of the Lakhana Lake. The three lakes are the major water sources for the city of Sanand.

Acreage of the Lakhana Lake	Measurements
Area of the lake (in acres)	4.45 acres
Area of the lake (in square meters)	18026.6 sq.m
Perimeter of the lake (in meters)	755.34 meters

The Lakhana Lake is surrounded by agricultural fields and residential houses. In 2020, the lake was fragmented by the construction of a road towards its south east corner. The lake was full of garbage, invasive weeds and construction debris that choked the lake’s surface.

પાણી એ અમૂલ્ય સંસાધન છે અને સ્વચ્છ પાણી અને ટકાઉ સંસાધનોની ઍક્સેસ એ સમુદાયના સ્વાસ્થ્ય માટે મૂળભૂત છે. અમે E.F.I પર પર્યાવરણીય સ્થિરતાને ટેકો આપવા માટે ભારતના જળ સંસ્થાઓને પુનઃસ્થાપિત કરીએ છીએ.

In an effort to revive the lake, E.F.I in collaboration with Kotak Mahindra Bank and the Government of Gujarat had taken up the task of restoring the Lakhana Lake.

A Healthy Lakhana Lake for a Healthy Herd

Take a look at the timescape of the Lakhana Lake and its transformation over the years:

Restoration Process	E.F.I’s Intervention
Deweeding	Prosopis juliflora and other invasive species were removed from the lake area which hinder the growth of native vegetation.
Water hyacinth removal	Water hyacinth was removed by fabricated perforated bucket, manpower and excavator.
Garbage removal	Approximately 30 tonnes of waste were removed and transported to the nearest dump site.
Undulated bed leveling and debris removal	Undulated soil bed was leveled and available fresh soil was spread on the top surface of the embankment.
Bund construction and strengthening	A combination of dual and single embankments were constructed. An approximate length of 470 meters embankment was strengthened and sloped around the lake.

The All-New Lakhana Look

Through sustained efforts over several years, the Lakhana Lake has been completely transformed. Free from garbage, debris and invasive weed species, the lake has an improved water quality. With an even lake bed, the lake has more water holding capacity. The enhanced bunds have provided the lake with structural integrity while preventing soil erosion. The surrounding ecosystem has also been enhanced by creating a harmonious balance between urban development and ecological preservation.

Read more to learn why beauty products are the next big concern after plastics- https://lakesofindia.com/2023/10/23/waterless-beauty/

Volunteer for India and her Environment with E.F.I