Ajmer to Develop 2 Wetlands to Compensate Anasagar Loss

After a rap from the Supreme Court, the Ajmer district administration has planned to develop two wetlands in the city spanning 22 hectares, as compensation for damaging the Anasagar lake ecosystem due to construction, officials familiar with the matter said.

- Urvashi Dev Rawal

JAIPUR:

An official said that the administration has proposed Foysagar, now renamed Varun Sagar, and Tabiji Lake as alternative wetland sites. During the hearing in the Supreme Court on May 16, the government submitted a project report made by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Nagpur for the development of the two sites.

According to the NEERI report, the two wetland sites—Tabiji and Hathikhera near Varun Sagar in Ajmer City Urbanisable Area—together span approximately 22 hectares, which is four times the spatial footprint. "The proposed wetlands are envisioned as ecologically viable substitutes that will deliver long-term hydrological and biodiversity benefits to the region," the report stated.