Chilika Lake's ecological crisis: Officials mull $2B revival plan

Chilika Lake, a significant Ramsar site and popular tourist spot, is once again facing ecological challenges approximately two decades after a successful intervention to improve its health. An estimated 800,000 metric tonnes of silt enter the lake annually, leading to shrinking water bodies and a decline in its ecosystem. This situation prompts the government, with technical aid from IIT Madras, to prepare a Rs 2,000 crore detailed project report for the lake's long-term restoration.

In 2000, the opening of a new tidal mouth near Sipakuda significantly improved Chilika's ecological balance, leading to its delisting from the Montreux Record. However, recent monitoring indicates a decline, attributed to internal channel siltation, a shifting and narrowing tidal inlet, and reduced salinity. Experts emphasize the need to re-establish a robust connection with the sea to maintain the brackish water balance crucial for its biodiversity and fisheries.

The proposed restoration plan, guided by IIT Madras's preliminary report, involves desilting critical channels, maintenance dredging, and potentially opening a new tidal mouth based on detailed model analysis. Beyond hydrological solutions, the project aims to enhance local livelihoods through fisheries infrastructure upgrades and to manage ecotourism by conducting carrying capacity studies to mitigate the impact of visitor pressure and unregulated boat traffic on sensitive species and habitats.