Unscientific desilting cuts Ooty lake bird population from 600 to 270 despite ₹7.51 crore
GS3Economy · S&T · Environment · Security· Pollution (air, water, plastic)· Mains·
Eutrophication and biodiversity loss: a GS3 Environment and Ecology case study.
Why in news
Conservationists reported that unscientific desilting of Ooty lake in Nilgiris led to a bird population drop from 600 in 2023 to 270 in 2025 despite a ₹7.51 crore expenditure.
Background
The Nilgiris district spent ₹7.51 crore to clean 24 hectares of Ooty lake and modernize its sewage treatment plant. The project, inaugurated in October 2024, resulted in the destruction of sand banks and reed beds, leading to rampant water hyacinth growth.
Facts for Prelims
- PlaceOoty lake is located in the Nilgiris district.
- FactBird population in Ooty lake dropped from over 600 in 2023 to 270 in 2025.
- Fact₹7.51 crore was sanctioned for the desilting and sewage treatment plant modernization.
- EnvironmentWater hyacinth proliferation is a telltale sign of eutrophication (nutrient-pollution).
Prelims practice question
In which district is Ooty lake located?
- (a)Wayanad
- (b)Nilgiris
- (c)Coorg
- (d)Palakkad
Show answer
Answer: (b) Nilgiris — The note specifies that Ooty lake is located in the Nilgiris district.
For Mains
Q. Examine how unscientific ecological interventions can exacerbate environmental degradation and impact local biodiversity. Suggest measures for sustainable lake management.
Dimensions to cover in your answer
- Ecological imbalance: Destruction of natural filters like reed beds and sand banks facilitates rapid eutrophication.
- Policy-implementation gap: High fiscal expenditure failing to achieve ecological restoration due to lack of ecosystem-specific knowledge.
- Nutrient-pollution: Uncontrolled runoff of fertilizers and untreated sewage causing choking of aquatic life.
Keywords: Eutrophication · Biodiversity loss · Ecological restoration · Nutrient-pollution · Sustainable management
More Environment & Ecology notes
- Asiatic lion population grows from 674 in 2020 to 891 in 2025 · 8 October 2026
- Plantations and climate change reduced Western Ghats native habitats to one-third · 8 October 2026
- India's first high-altitude wildlife safari flags off six open-back vehicles in Ladakh · 8 October 2026
- Tenkasi officials demolish artificial waterfalls to restore wild stream flow to irrigation tanks · 7 October 2026
- Human-elephant conflicts killed 1,147 humans and 246 elephants since 2016 in Assam · 7 October 2026
- Weather agencies are tracking a supposed ‘super’ El Niño · 7 October 2026
This note is generated automatically from SatyaDheesh's news feed and mapped to the UPSC CSE syllabus. Check facts against the original report or PIB before using them in an answer.