Rabindra Sarovar

Starting its journey as Dhakuria lake in the Dhakuria (possibly derived from Thakuria) neighbourhood of south Kolkata, Rabindra Sarobar is a man-made lake excavated in the early 20th century. by the erstwhile Calcutta Improvement Trust (CIT) as part of the city’s southward expansion.
It is now a significant environmental and bio-reserve of Kolkata in general, and south Kolkata, in particular.

“The picturesque Dhakuria lake landscape has a semblance of the 18th-century English Romantic gardens, complete with its informal layout, tree-lined water-edge, and the islands.”

The maps here show the BEFORE-AFTER development of the place and how a rural settlement transformed into the present day road network, the lake and adjoining residential neighbourhood. 

The Dhakuria lake precinct was identified to house a number of recreational facilities under CIT Scheme LXXIV in May 1958 and was renamed Rabindra Sarobar as a homage to Kabiguru Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941), the first Nobel Laureate of Bengal.  

Thenceforth, Rabindra Sarobar underwent the following interventions:

• 1962: The cable suspended bridge was strengthened by Burn & Co., Howrah. 
• Early sixties: Construction of 26,000 capacity Stadium at the N-W corner.
• 1980: Construction of 3,500 capacity open air theatre (OAT).
• 1985-89:  Installation and operation of the Toy Train, the tracks of which still circumscribe the lake.
• 1991: Conversion of the OAT into a covered auditorium for the 10th International Film Festival in Kolkata, and named Nazrul Mancha.

There are a total of five water-bodies, out of which the two large water-bodies constitute the main lake- the eastern one being the largest. Their average depth is about 4.0 metres, with certain deeper pockets (JU report, 2007). A fenced lotus pond is on the north, while the two others are used for swimming. 
The lakes have quite a few islands (retained landmasses) and most of these are undisturbed eco-habitats. A rich repository of different tree species, Rabindra Sarobar is a paradise for nature lovers. 

Rabindra Sarobar is a recreational hub with a multitude of clubs engaged in the sports of rowing and swimming. There is a cricket academy with practice ground(s) and a Safari park with a children’s play area & a laughing club. Walkers and joggers are a regular sight in the morning.
Bird-watching has also emerged as a popular educational sport as it is one of the few go-to places within the city. Bird photography in the park has a strong social media presence too. Casual strolling and sitting by the lakeside has tremendous positive impact – relaxing and soothing both the mind and body.

Being man-made, Rabindra Sarobar is a cultural landscape that offers opportunity to learn from nature. It also teaches us important planning lessons of the days gone-by. 
During excavation, CIT has literally unearthed some historic cannons, believed to be of the Nawab of Murshidabad and a part of the 1756 seige of Calcutta. However, it is also said that these cannons might have been found elsewhere and were brought here as part of added ‘ornamentation’ (WBPCB, 2017).

Rabindra Sarobar is the much needed green breathing space in the dense urban greyness – a cool pocket in a ‘heat island’. The aquatic-cum-terrestrial ecosystem services and the direct & indirect environmental benefits that we derive from Rabindra Sarobar are immense and innumerable. 
A treasure trove of urban bio-diversity, it re-establishes connection with nature and induces biophilia & mental well-being in human users, 

Recognizing the ecological and environmental significance  of the lake, the National Lake Conservation Programme of Government of India has declared Rabindra Sarobar as a National Lake in 2003, the first lake in West Bengal to receive this status. 

Rabindra Sarobar has been enduring a lot since long. It has seen encroachments, consequent land & water pollution, long drawn legal battles fought by environmental activists for a pollution-free lake, and finally a squatter-free site in 2006.
A multi-disciplinary team of experts from Jadavpur University conducted a study of Rabindra Sarobar at the behest of Kolkata Improvement Trust (KIT) in 2007 and prepared a Comprehensive Rejuvenation Plan (CRJP) for the lake and its adjoining park area. 
An over-all assessment of land-use, water, landscape, and environmental challenges was carried out based on which a phase-wise landscape development road-map and guidelines were prepared. With a strong central theme revolving around Tagore’s perceptions, the CRJP aimed to address the spatio-physical, socio-cultural, ecological, environmental, and economic challenges with its innovative three-tiered concept including the proposition of ‘Fee-zone & Free-zone’ for better management.

After a decade and some phased-implementation of the CRJP, an Environmental Impact Assessment study was carried out by West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) in 2017 on an National Green Tribunal (NGT) order. 

This study (WBPCB, 2017) has reported “a total of 366 species of terrestrial vascular plants in the life form of 162 trees, 8 lianas, 14 climbers, 46 shrubs and 136 herbs have been identified from Rabindra Sarobar and its premises. The 366 species were distributed under 277 genera and 43 families.”
This is a marked improvement from the 2010 study reported in the same document, as “a total of 152 species of vascular terrestrial plants’ of 73 tree species, 2 lianas, 4 climbers, 7 shrubs and 66 herb species, under 127 genera and 53 families.

Besides trees, the study has also recorded 57 butterfly species, 107 bird species (69 resident, 23 long-distant migrant, 14 local, 52 migrant, and one summer visitor), and 40 freshwater fish species. These are important bio-diversity indicators and show that the rejuvenation plan has been working well.

While the past developments in the lake precinct were conceived mainly as engineering projects (Mody and Saraogi, 1989) and creation of recreational amenities to generate revenue, the turn of the millennium under a changed climatic context demands careful attention to the ecological and cultural values of the site with clear environmental conservation goals. 

Although the lake environment has undergone remarkable improvement in the last few years, occasional onslaught on the lake ecosystem; intense public activities in the park, especially after dark; over-illumination in certain pockets; damaged green cover, and pollution concerns still remain. 
Augmenting plantations and continuous care of the existing greeneries with the core objective of ecosystem restoration is key to help this century-old national lake move on the path of long-term  sustainability.