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INDIA : India is trying to secure a world heritage status for its only lake formed by the impact of a meteorite.
But pollution and human activity, are threatening the existence of the ancient water body.
More than 50,000 years old, the Lonar Lake in western state of Maharashtra has intrigued scientists for years.
The lake is one of the three in the world that's formed by the impact of a meteor.
But the saline deposits found at the lake give it a unique identity. They are very different from the ones found in other salt lakes of India.
Scientists have been studying the origin of the salts for years, and the clues they could give to the history of the area.
"A lot of salts are preserved here because there is no other way to go to the water from here. It can only get evaporated from here and the salts are left behind and are deposited here. They are the specialty of Lonar crater," said Professor Sudhakar Budhane, a historian.
The ecology here too is unique. It supports both salt and fresh water habitation.
A lot of microbes found in the lake are not cultivable using conventional techniques.
Researchers are studying the microbes for manufacturing biodegradable plastic, antibiotics and also for producing enzymes for various industrial applications.
A particular kind of bacteria recently discovered here is also said to have capabilities to fight global warming.
And even Martian geology enthusiasts are interested in Lonar lake. Bacteria are formed on basaltic rock containing salt water.
For astro-geologists trying to study the surface of Mars, this comes closest to the surface conditions of the planet. And scientists from NASA have visited the crater to understand how water can be formed on Mars under similar circumstances.
But for all its potential, a more immediate issue plaguing the beautiful lake is sewage contamination.
The city dumps its garbage and industrial waste into the water body, causing the water level to rise, and risking diluting the salts in the lake.
Its water is also turning acidic because of pollution, posing a threat to its unique ecosystem.
Environmentalist Dilip Urdee said: "While bathing and washing clothes, people add a lot of soap and detergent into the lake. Another thing which we have observed is that the municipal corporation has started a lot of construction in the area.
"The construction and the growing population add huge sewage and water into the lake, which is changing the whole water quality of the lake."
The government of Maharashtra is pushing to get a World Heritage status for the lake.
It has declared nearly half the area as a sanctuary to preserve the ancient temples located on its periphery.
It is also working to build another pond to collect sewage water.
Environmentalists too hope that once it's declared a heritage site, awareness about its conservation will rise. - CNA /ls
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