Sirpur Lake

About Sirpur Lake:

• It is a human-made wetland located in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
• It is a 670-acre lake, which is more than 130 years old, made by Maharaja Shivaji rao Holkar to generate water supply for the city of Indore. 
• The Indore City Gazette, 1908, has many references to Sirpur Lake, utilised for water supply and recreational purposes.
• It is a shallow, alkaline, nutrient-rich lake that floods during the monsoon.
• Sirpur Lake boasts a diverse habitat, featuring extensive wetlands, shrub forests, grasslands, tall trees, and shallow and deep-water areas. 
• Fauna:
  • It is inhabited by 189 species of birds, belonging to 55 families.
  • It is arguably one of the only remaining bird watching siteswhere water birds can be recorded within city limits.
  • Commonly sighted species include the painted stork, bar-headed goose,Eurasian wigeon, and several species of egrets, herons, and kingfishers.
  • It is also home to several species of reptiles, insects, butterflies, and fish.
• It was designated a Ramsar site under the Ramsar Convention on January 7, 2022.

Q1: What is the Ramsar Convention?

The Ramsar Convention is the intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. The Convention was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and came into force in 1975. Since then, almost 90% of UN member states have become “Contracting Parties” to the convention.

News: Indore: Sirpur Lake Freed From Encroachment; Step Towards Conserving Ramsar Site