Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant’s recent remarks on the drying Sukhna Lake has once again raised concerns over the condition of man-made wonder.
CJI Kant, during the hearing of interim applications in the long-pending 1995 public interest litigation titled ‘In Re: TN Godavarman Thirumulpad’, had remarked, “Aur kitna sukhaoge Sukhna Lake ko? (How much more will you allow Sukhna Lake to dry up?)” while attributing the situation to the “connivance between bureaucrats, politicians and the builder mafia”.
So is the Sukhna under threat? Will the city lose one of its biggest tourist draws? Probably, if the lake is not cared for.
A bathymetric survey conducted last year by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee revealed that the lake has already started losing its depth. In 1985, when the lake was created by damming the Sukhna choe flowing from the Shivalik hills, its depth was 4.69 metres. Over the decades, however, sediment deposition and environmental stress reduced its average depth to around 2.7 metres, with the deepest points now measuring close to 3 metres. Surprisingly, its water-holding capacity has risen over the last decade – from 4,416 acre-feet (54.47 million cubic metres) in 2015 to 5,083 acre-feet (62.67 million cubic metres) in 2025. But this may be due to the lake spreading laterally, to compensate for the loss of depth, explained Prof Alok Srivastava, former professor at Panjab University, and consultant, Pan African Institute of Water and Energy Studies.
Water level in the Sukhna had started receding in 1979. Even during the Asian Rowing Championship in 1989, raw water connection was given to the Sukhna from northern sectors. As per the experts, the lake’s required water level is 1163-ft, but it currently stands at 1,154-ft, which means the lake needs a nine-foot rise.
{{/usCountry}}Water level in the Sukhna had started receding in 1979. Even during the Asian Rowing Championship in 1989, raw water connection was given to the Sukhna from northern sectors. As per the experts, the lake’s required water level is 1163-ft, but it currently stands at 1,154-ft, which means the lake needs a nine-foot rise.
{{/usCountry}}Shallow zones at both ends of lake
During a detailed longitudinal and cross-sectional survey, the researchers found significant variations in depth. The deeper sections, identified around the 2,075-metre chainage, had peak water volumes going up to 2,84,674.5 cubic metres. The shallower zones were found near both ends of the lake, clearly indicating sediment deposition. Along the longitudinal profile, the maximum measured depth was 2.7 metres, at a chainage of 250 metres, while the deepest points — up to 3 metres — were recorded at chainages of 300 and 325 metres.
70 acres permanently lost to silt
Silt began accumulating in the Sukhna in 1960, just two years after it was created. Efforts to de-silt the lake since 1988, including voluntary service (shramdan), failed to bring any substantive results till the administration used heavy machinery to remove it in 2010. At present, there are around 200 check dams in the catchment area to prevent the flow of silt into the lake bed, but they are yet to give the desired results. Around 70 acres of the lake bed has already been lost permanently to silt.
Mahesh C Jindal, former regional director of the Central Ground Water Board, says that continuous siltation has reduced the lake’s effective storage capacity and that annual desilting is essential.
Worrisome weeds
While initially, there was only one kind of weed, the lake now has nine types of weeds. The problem has spread so much that the boating area in the lake has been reduced as the UT administration has to spend crores every year, before monsoon, to remove it.
What needs to be done
IIT researchers say the Sukhna needs to be monitored regularly. Using modern equipment such as GPS-based surveying and echo sounding can help provide accurate information on water depth and volume, which can help authorities better understand the lake’s condition and plan its management in a more informed and sustainable manner.
A senior UT administration official said a comprehensive five-year plan has been drafted in consultation with key departments to preserve Sukhna Lake without altering its natural character.