Lake 2004: International Conference on Conservation, Restoration & Management of Lakes and Coastal Wetlands
9-13 December 2004, Bhubaneshwar, Orisssa

The symposium Lake 2004 focused on the conservation, restoration and management of lakes including the estuaries, which are the places where the freshwater of the rivers mingle with the saltwater of the sea and create unique habitats of intermediate salinity and high productivity. Over 180 persons from all over the country, from scientists, hydrologists, policy makers, legal experts and NGO’s to students and teachers participated in the symposium, which saw the presentation of around 88 research papers. These papers encompassed an array of topics related to the  aquatic ecosystems, biodiversity associated with them ranging from protozoans to fishes, birds and aquatic mammals. Recommendations of Lake 2004 include an action oriented conservation and protection plan for Chilika Lake:  

• Declare Chilika Lake, with its watershed, the national heritage site and strict implementation of time bound conservation and restoration measures. Integrated water resource management of Chilika watershed and integrated coastal management.
• Interdisciplinary, intensive monitoring and modeling of hydrological, meteorological, limnological and coastal oceanographic studies be taken by CDA.
• Declare a buffer zone of wetlands as a protected area devoid of any developmental activities.
• Ecosystem approach with integrated holistic approaches in the management considering all biotic and abiotic components of the ecosystem, with its functional aspects to ensure sustainability.
• Establish a permanent laboratory with research facilities at wetlands site (with the sensors to characterize:  biological, physical and chemical, hydrological, meteorological) and encourage local college and school students to carry out the dissertation work (part of the curriculum at degree and post graduate levels). Fully equipped live labs would help the younger generation to understand and learn the importance of the ecosystem.
• Capacity building - environment education by establishing eco-schools. Inclusion of field oriented environmental education in the school curriculum.
• Training of all stakeholders (at regular intervals - about wetlands importance, biotic and abiotic factors, sustainable management practice…..).
• Biological studies and regular stock assessment of important fauna (dolphin, shell fish, fin fish, etc.) needs to be undertaken for a better understanding and utilization of natural resources. Developing a biodiversity register involving schools and colleges for Chilika.
• Reconstitution of CDA involving all stakeholders - local people (who depend on the lake for their livelihood), academicians and researchers. Constitution of a task force involving local people for regular monitoring.
• Reduction of siltation:  improvement in land cover in a phased manner with appropriate land use practices. Catchment treatment with the species locally preferred (or could meet the food, fodder and fuel requirement of the local population as well as fauna).
• Measures to protect coral reefs and other aquatic flora and fauna.
• Improvement in riparian vegetation based on local hydrology and native species.
• Protection of breeding grounds of fauna (fish, birds, etc.) - banning hunting, fishing in breeding area. (Captive breeding of Dolphins.)
• Pollution prevention (through an appropriate design of sewage treatment plant up to tertiary level, if possible).
• Ban on use of plastics and implementation of integrated solid waste management as per the guidelines of the national SWM committee (constituted as per the Supreme Court verdict).
• Implementation of best engineered wetlands:  prevention of non point source pollution.
• Rehabilitation of the local population (with proper housing, drinking water, drainage and sanitation systems).
• Ban on encroachment (illegal occupants to be evicted).
• Ban on aquaculture (that is unsustainable from the ecosystem point of view).
• The constitution of cooperative societies involving all local fishermen and ban on over harvesting of fish resources (restriction on the size of the net, number of  licenses, immediate removal of non local fishermen with unsustainable harvesting practices). Removal of contract system (middle men) and sharing of resources equitably by local people. Constitution of local self help groups.
• Prevention of oil spillage (motor boats, etc.).
• Restoration of mangroves ecosystems in the coastal belt to avert the impact of natural calamities.
• Inventory, mapping and monitoring of the coastal and marine biodiversity.
• Conservation of forests and restoration of natural forests (deforestation is the prime cause for declining water resources, etc.).
• Strict law enforcement to our waters for their preservation (life).