Venue: Jaipur

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Valedictory Address by Minister Forest, Environment & Mines, Govt. of Rajasthan

All the Scientists, Ladies & Gentleman attending the Taal 2007.

It is a matter of immense pleasure for me to be present amongst you. My pleasure is enhanced because the issues relating to the management of Lakes of the world is being discussed in Pink city Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan State, which is famous for Thar Desert. In this mega conference over 500 delegates comprising of eminent, experts, administrators & mangers and many others from about 40 countries all over the world, including India, have gathered to discuss not only the academic issues but also to suggest such practical measures, which could be used gainfully for the conservation and protection of lakes that will be very useful for the benefits of entire life system.

Economy of the world is based on the knowledge. The prosperity of any individual enhances as he/she gain more & more of knowledge. The generation and application of knowledge in rightful manner constitute the base for ht generation of property & wealth. In order to disseminate the latest knowledge down to the roots of public at large, the same has to be made easily available to the individuals, and the TAAL 2007 has done this job in a commendable manner. The knowledge gained during the conference would be useful for better management of lakes in future, beside, lead to paving a road for the betterment of the livelihood of the local people.

Today, at first, I am inclined to express my sincere thanks and gratitude to the team of personnel of International Lake Environment Committee Foundation (ILEC); Ministry of Environment Government of India; Department of Environment Government of Rajasthan, National Institute of Ecology, New Delhi; Event Manager ITDC; RTDC and many others, whose untiring efforts have made this event a great success.

As you are aware, there exist dire needs to evolve and implant constructive and innovative thoughts and measures for solving the problems of lakes. World over the lakes provide a base for livelihood in progress of the humanity. The Economic social and ecological importance of lakes have yielded huge scientific knowledge relating to the lake management and efforts have been made to linked this knowledge with the practice. However, I would like to draw your kind attention to a very peculiar fact. Organisation of Taal 2007s makes me recall the indigenous knowledge because of which more than 15 lacs lakes in over 6 lacs villages are still the prime source of livelihood of local people. Scientific study reveals that, the history of these natural laks, construction of ponds & man made lakes is very old. With the scientific background, the historical documents also describe in detail such ponds & lakes. For example, ponds are described in over 4000 year old Sanskrit text RIGVEDA. In another ancient text VRIHATSANHITA, a document of 5 th century, Saint VARAHAMIHIR described at length the method of construction of lakes and ponds. I quote an example from VRIKSHAYURVEDADHYAY, Saint VARAHAMIHIR, wrote:

“PRANTACHAYA VINIMURKTA NA MANODHYA JALASHAYA
YASMADTO JALPRANTUSHIVA RAMAN VINI VESHYET”

It means- The banks of lakes & pond do not look beautiful without trees. Thus, ponds/lakes & trees are mutually beneficial to each other.

In our Indian traditions, water has been seen in the form of the Almighty God. I quote a Sanskrit Slok:

“APO NARA ETI PROKTA APO VAI NASVNV
TA YADSYAYANM PURV TEN NARAYANA SMARTH”

It means – Water is the child of Almighty God.

There had been great historical traditions of creation, conservation, maintenance and use of Lakes and other water bodies in the water scarce State of Rajasthan. Rajasthan is known world over for its traditions related to ponds & lakes. There is hardly any village in Rajasthan, which does not have either a pond or lake or Nadi or Talai. Water bodies are integral parts of our culture and are called by diverse names. Even today, social systems of conservation of water bodies in Rajasthan are in practice. Government of Rajasthan has made special efforts for the revival of water bodies, and you have personally experienced the efforts of the government made to rejuvenate Mansagar Lake at Jaipur. Likewise, the MoEF, Government of India ha approved the proposal of State government for rejunivation of Anasagar Lake at Ajmer & Nakki Lake at Mt. Abu. Besides, the proposals for rejuvenation of religiously important Pushkar Lake and Pichhola & Fateh Sagar lakes of Udaipur are under active consideration of MoEF, Government of India, which may be approved very shortly. In addition, works relating watershed development for ponds & lakes in different villages are being executed under National rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. On one hand the ponds & lakes in Rajasthan are being used for fisheries, growing Lotus, Singhara & drawing fertile sludge. On the other hand, the water from these ponds & lakes drawn for irrigation and drinking purposes to provide base for the life. Beside, lakes & ponds also contribute to enhance the level of ground water table because of which water is available round the year in tube wells, wells & Bawadis. Lakes & pond have special contribution to local productivity and full security. During winter, migratory birds from all over the world rest & nest in various lakes & ponds in India of which Keoladev Birds Century is a glaring example.

Environmental conservation is the biggest challenge for the world. The United Nations has also considered environmental conservation to be the biggest challenge for the current century in the list of it targets. Environment degradation is primarily a result of the concept of “quick development”, in which we have ignored all the values important to humanity. The seeds to destruction are inadvertently sown during the implementation of quick development hypothesis. Environment becomes a subject of least importance in the process of blind race of development, which results into a hole in ozone layer, melting & retreating of glacier, Sunami, pollution of lakes & rivers etc. At times, such development fully ignores the values & beliefs. The bridge “Pak Jaldamru Madhya” constructed by Lord Rama in Treta Yug, which ha been duly recognized by NASA & other scientist, is not only a symbol of our faith & belief but also is a place for habitation of million of plants and animals of marine origin. Such constructions should not be damaged/destroyed in the name of development and it is the duty of everyone to conserve such heritage.

Environment is closely related to the religious beliefs, and Pushkar lake is the biggest example. It is for such beliefs that the lake is conserved and its water is pure. People take bath in Pushkar Lake without shoes, do not use any soap, do not litter/pollute its catchment area and during dry season exert religiously to conserve the lake. Bedsides, the lake is worshipped and people feel clean at body and soul. I believe that the religious faith should be connected with every lake of the world. This experiment may be miraculously effective in the direction of conservation of lakes with the help of public awareness and public participation.

It’s a matter of great pleasure that Taal 2007 has provided a common platform to engineers, scientists, administrators & mangers from all over the world, to discuss issues and exchange knowledge & practical experience relating to conservation and protection of lakes that will be very useful for the benefits of entire life system in particular and environment and general.

Generation and implementation of usable knowledge for development and protection is the only way to eradicate poverty from the world. The basic theme for Taal 2007 has been the conservation of lake & wetlands for future. All the main issues discussed by you are important & wetlands for future. All the main issues discussed by you are important & essential and will provide way for perpetual development of lakes & wetlands. I am of firm opinion that the strategy and recommendation evolved during Taal 2007 will help improving the ecology of lakes & wetlands as well as contribute to the development the wild life, besides, providing it will help the government to easily enhance the livelihood of people living around the lakes.

I take this opportunity to once again to congratulate you for organizing successfully this mega event Taal 2007 and hope that the recommendations of the conference will be gainfully utilized by the policy planners and managers for effective and sustained management of lakes.

I also hope that, you all enjoyed a very conformable and pleasant stay at the “Pink City” Jaipur and are carrying never to fade memory with you and very attractive and useful publication by the Department of Environment, Government of Rajasthan, “Lakes and Wetlands of Rajasthan” with the determinations to work non-stop for the conservation and protection of the lakes and wetland wherever you live for a comfortable sustenance of the life on Earth.

Jai Hind.