An empirical comparative study of changing utilization pattern and problems of Rural and Urban Lakes of Gorakhpur, India

Abstract

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. n Chilua lake, highest
change during 1980 to 2019 was 65 per cent in dumping site followed by irrigation (61.66 per cent) and
boating for person use whereas negative change was in washing site and use of water for cooking but it was
different in Ramgarh Lake. During the above period Ramgarh Lake experienced highest positive change
in dumping sites (88.34 per cent) followed by boating (40 per cent) for fishing and recreation while highest
negative change was in cropping followed by cattle bathing. This study is a comparative assessment of
economic and other utilities and problems 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