Bhopal : On the occasion of World Water
Day, the Department of Architecture and the Antique Arcade Club of VIT Bhopal
University organised an awareness walk around the iconic ‘Bada Talab’ (Upper
Lake), drawing wide participation from citizens and key stakeholders. The event
was attended by Manoj Kurmi, Superintending Archaeologist at the Archaeological
Survey of India (ASI); Surendra Tiwari, Convener of the Bhopal Citizens Forum;
Kamal Rathi, Member of the Citizens Forum; representatives from the Gandhi
Bhawan Trust; along with experts in environment, hydrology, and geology, media
representatives, and students from various educational institutions.
The program was organized under the
guidance of Hon’ble Chancellor Dr. G.
Viswanathan, Vice President Dr. Sankar Viswanathan, Trustee Ms. Ramani
Balasundaram, Assistant Vice President Ms. Kadhambari S. Viswanathan, Vice
Chancellor Dr. Satish Kumar Modh, Pro Vice Chancellor Dr. T. B. Sridharan,
and Acting Registrar Mr. K. K. Nair.
Dr. Sheetal Sharma, Coordinator of the initiative, said the awareness
walk is an annual effort aimed at sensitising citizens towards the conservation
of Bhopal’s invaluable natural heritage. She added that, as part of ongoing
research on the Bada Talab by her team, continuous studies are being undertaken
to monitor ecological changes within the lake and its catchment area,
underscoring the need for sustained, collective action to protect urban water
bodies.
The primary objective of the walk
was to draw attention towards the growing encroachment concerns around Bada
Talab, the reduction in its depth, the shrinking of its boundaries due to silt
accumulation, and the adverse impacts these factors are having on its
ecological equilibrium.
She emphasized that this walk was
not merely an initiative limited to appreciating the lake's natural beauty;
rather, it represented a meaningful endeavor aimed at formulating concrete
plans centered on its overall health, cleanliness, water quality, ecological
balance, and long-term sustainability.
Through this initiative, a message
was conveyed to raise awareness regarding the challenges posed by unplanned
urbanization. Furthermore, strong emphasis was placed on the necessity of
citizen participation to safeguard the city's lakes, green spaces, and natural
ecological balance.
The Bada Talab—known as a historic
water body constructed by the Parmar dynasty king Raja Bhoj—ranks among the
country's most prominent man-made lakes. It serves as a vital pillar supporting
Bhopal city's drinking water supply, climatic balance, and environmental
health. Consequently, its conservation is not merely an environmental concern
but also a critical issue inextricably linked to social welfare and urban
planning.
This event proved to be a
significant step toward fostering dialogue among the administration, experts,
and citizens, thereby paving the way for the formulation of scientific,
practical, and effective strategies for the conservation of the Bada Talab.