Astronomers,students join hands to save Lonar crater lake

Mayuresh Prabhune,president of Khagol Vishwa,who has been studying the crater for some years,said,all these problems have led to the decrease in the pH value of water. “Till a few years ago,the water at Lonar had a pH value of 14 but due to human interference its value now is 11 and is decreasing,” he said.

Stressing on the importance of the water in the crater,Sudhakar Bugdane,founder of Lonar Mitra Mandal,said,”Due to its high alkalinity,the water in the crater is an important source of study. However,the presence of a percolation tank is leading to an increase in the water level harming the forests surrounding the lake. The forest department is ignoring the fact that villagers are cutting trees on the site. Also,people use the water for bathing and other domestic purposes.”

Bugdane has filed a petition in the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court which has ordered that an expert committee be formed to look into the matter. “We are trying to raise awareness among the people here through lectures on the importance of the site. Representatives from NASA had also visited the site earlier and Dr Shawn Wright from NASA is helping us in our cause,” said Bugdane.

The site also has many temples,built more than 2,000 years ago,but lie in ruins now because of the rising water level. “The site has cultural importance as well. The government should take some action immediately or this site of great geological as well as cultural importance will be lost forever,” said Prabhune.

The group will soon be coming out with a website on Lonar. It will have all the surveys carried out across the world on Lonar.