High Court seeks EIA on Lonar lake colour change

The Bombay High court recently sought report on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of Lonar lake from the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) and GSI (Geographical Survey of India).

Highlights

The expert team from Geographical Survey of India and NEERI are to examine the findings of glass formation on the surface of the lake.

Lonar Lake

The Lonar Lake in Maharashtra is an oval shaped lake that was formed by a meteorite hit on the earth around 50,000 years ago. The colour of the lake had recently turned pink. The area around the lake is an eco-sensitive zone as it consists of the Ejecta Blanket that is made up of the same material as that found on the moon.

The lake is a National Geo-Heritage monument.

National Geo-Heritage Monument

The National Geo-Heritage Monument are areas of national importance and are notified under Geological Survey of India for protection, maintenance, promotion and enhancement of geotourism. There are 34 National Geo-Heritage Monuments in India. The respective state governments are responsible to protect these sites.

Why did the lake turn pink?

Experts believe that the Lonar lake turned pink due to increased salinity in the water and also due to the presence of algae. The amount of water in the lake has reduced thereby increasing its salinity and turning the lake pink.

Month: Current Affairs - June, 2020