The Naini Lake which hosts thousands of tourists every year has witnessed a five-year low level of water at about 4.7 feet, creating a panic-like situation among the people who worry about water scarcity if the level is below “zero.” “Zero level” does not however mean drying up of the lake but receding water level below normal “gauge level”.
Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan extracts 10 million litres of water every day from the lake, coupled with tourist influx it has faced exploitation for a long time. The decrease in snowfall and rainfall in the previous year further exasperated the problem.
Vishal Singh, a Nainital-based Environmentalist in an interview with Indian Express stated that in 2024 Naini Lake fulfilled 74 per cent water demand of the people but due to population increase, tourist influx, and climate change, it is at risk. The researchers also pointed out that on the one hand, the burden on Nainital has increased and on the other hand its outdated water distribution system has not been able to maintain the demands.
Researches further show the damaging impact of climate change, 1.5 degrees of temperature increase has been seen from 1970 to 2022 affecting rain and snow in the region. The cumulative impact of all this is countless petitions to the courts with minor to no changes in the exploitative system. Ajay Rawat, who worked as a professor at Kumaon University claimed that despite petitions construction has not stopped in Nainital.
This points to the dire state of over-tourism in the region and the need for regulation. Vishal Singh said “One has to understand the catchment area, its critical recharge zones, and what construction is happening in the slopes of the catchment. Conservation plans meant to address this issue fail as there is no ecosystem-based approach.”
