An empirical comparative study of changing utilization pattern and problems of rural and urban lakes of Gorakhpur, India

Lakes are the natural habitat of aquatic animals and plants. At the same time, it ensures the recharge of groundwater storage and also caters to the recreational and aesthetic requirements of people. A Lake can control surroundings temperature by keeping it fairly constant, this, in turn, can facilitate to support life forms. Balanced ecosystem enabled by lakes promotes not only healthy plants and animal communities but their clean water increases the security of animal nesting and resting places along with the livelihood of humans in its vicinities. Some of the losses (environmental degradation, extinction of species, etc.) occur through intentional exploitation of resources. Lakes are of value to humans in form of drinking water, agriculture, industry, livestock and energy generation; they become storage for flood water; sinks for sediment and contaminants to protect downstream areas and habitat for flora and fauna. Therefore, Lakes experience pressure of high population growth owing to human dependence on them. Economic uses, depleting factors and stewardship of urban and rural lakes are different. This study is a comparative assessment of economic and other utilities, factors of depletion and strategies for stewardship of Ramgarh (urban) and Chilua (rural) lakes of Gorakhpur. The study is based on primary data collected from the surrounding dwellers of both lakes and supported by secondary data collected from different offices and laboratory-based investigations related to lakes.