Press Release
An insightful session on the revival of Ramgarh Lake took place at Rambagh Palace, organized by the Federation of Hospitality and Tourism of Rajasthan in collaboration with the Jaipur citizens-led Reviving Ramgarh Lake campaign. The event commenced with the poster release of “Revive & Save Ramgarh Lake” by the members of the FHTR.
The panelists for the discussion included Area Director & General Manager, Rambagh Palace, Mr Ashok Rathore, Additional Director, Rajasthan Tourism, RAS, Mr. Rakesh Sharma, President FHTR & HRAR, Mr. Kuldeep Singh Chandela,
Head of Revival Ramgarh Lake Movement, Thakur Dushyant Singh of Naila, Head, Remote Sensing Divisions, Birla Institute of Technology, Jaipur, Mr Mahaveer Punia, Indian Politician & First MBA Sarpanch of India, Ms. Chhavi Rajawat, Superintendent Engineer DRIP, Jaipur, Mr Ambuj Tyagi, Professor at Aayojan School of Architecture,Jaipur, Mr Bineet Chhajer.
Kuldeep Chandela expressed lament over the failure to safeguard Ramgarh Lake, emphasizing the imperative of its revival for the benefit of future generations. Ashok S Rathore highlighted that the revival of Ramgarh Lake symbolizes the revival of heritage and history, transcending political agendas to become a social movement. With Jaipur’s water levels already dipping below scarcity thresholds, water conservation becomes paramount, urging the younger generation’s involvement.
Chhavi Rajawat stressed the necessity of collective action among citizens, identifying them as the true stakeholders in the endeavor, advocating for holistic development. Dushyant Naila pinpointed anicuts as the primary cause of the lake’s desiccation, proposing strategies such as keeping doors open until reservoir levels reach a certain threshold and promoting tourism initiatives like the Ramgarh Festival.
Ambuj Tyagi attributed the lake’s drying to shifting land use patterns, climate change, and disruptions in the drainage system due to highway construction. Rakesh Sharma emphasized considering not only the reservoir but also the entire ecosystem surrounding it, advocating for a comprehensive approach encompassing village, eco, and nature tourism. Sunil Pachar underscored the importance of adopting circular water usage practices over linear ones in his presentation.
Bineet Chhajer said that there are a large number of wells in the boundary walls of Jaipur, which are now closed due to being filled with garbage. This is our heritage, which should be restored. He further said that it is necessary to conserve rain water. For this we all have to come together and start from our homes.
Earlier, Mahaveer Punia delivered a detailed presentation elucidating the technicalities of Ramgarh Lake from its inception to the present.
The vote of thanks on the occasion was extended by Surendra Singh Shahpura.