Description

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Context

Supreme Court decision mandates Rajasthan state government to dismantle & potentially relocate replica structures from Seven Wonders park situated in Ana Sagar Lake wetland area underscoring importance of preserving ecologically sensitive zones.

Ana Sagar Wetland (Rajasthan)

Feature	Details
Location	Ajmer, Rajasthan, India
Type	Artificial freshwater wetland
Built By	Anaji Chauhan (Grandfather of Prithviraj Chauhan) in 1135-1150 AD
Area	Approx. 13 km² (including lake & surrounding wetland)
Main Water Source	Rainwater & feeder streams
Ecological Importance	Supports biodiversity, prevents flooding & acts as a water recharge zone
Flora	Aquatic plants, reeds, marsh vegetation
Fauna	Migratory birds (flamingos, pelicans, herons), fish, amphibians & reptiles
Threats	Encroachment, pollution, illegal constructions (e.g., ‘Seven Wonders Park’ replicas), urbanization
Legal Protection	Declared a wetland under Wetlands (Conservation & Management) Rules, 2017
Recent Supreme Court Order (2024)	Directed removal of illegal replica structures from 'Seven Wonders Park' to protect wetland

Ana Sagar Lake:

Category	Details
Location	Ajmer, Rajasthan, India
Type	Artificial freshwater lake
Geographical Coordinates	26.4707° N, 74.6176° E
Built By	Arnoraja (Anaji) Chauhan, grandfather of Prithviraj Chauhan
Year of Construction	1135 - 1150 AD
Purpose of Construction	Water conservation & irrigation
River Source	Built by damming Luni or Lavanavari River
Spread Over	Approximately 13 sq km (1300 hectares)
Depth	Varies by season; significantly reduces in summer
Water Sources	Rainwater & feeder canals
Drying Issue	The lake dries up almost completely during summer months due to high evaporation & low water inflow
Famous Structures	Baradari (pavilions) built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in 1637 AD
Garden Nearby	Daulat Bagh, built by Emperor Jahangir, located on eastern embankment of lake
Island in Lake	A small island in center of lake, accessible via boating
Circuit House	A British era Residency located on a hill near lake, now used as a government guest house
Embankment Construction	Constructed using stone masonry, reinforced over centuries
Mughal Influence	Mughal emperors contributed to its beautification with gardens, marble pavilions & embankments
Tourism & Activities	Boating, sunset views, picnicking, photography & walking trails around lake
Best Time to Visit	October to March (Winter months offer pleasant weather)
Major Events/Festivals	Urs Festival at Ajmer Sharif Dargah (nearby) Pushkar Fair (around 15 km away)
Current Condition	Faces pollution & seasonal water depletion, conservation efforts are ongoing
Significance	One of most important historical & recreational sites in Rajasthan

Major Wetlands in India (Ramsar Sites)

Wetland Name	Location	Area (sq km)	Type	Ramsar Designation Year	Key Features
Chilika Lake	Odisha	1,165	Coastal Lagoon	1981	Largest brackish water lagoon, migratory birds, Irrawaddy dolphins
Keoladeo National Park	Rajasthan	28.73	Freshwater Marsh	1981	UNESCO World Heritage Site, crucial bird sanctuary
Sundarbans Wetland	West Bengal	4,267	Mangrove Forest	2019	Largest mangrove ecosystem, Royal Bengal Tiger habitat
Loktak Lake	Manipur	287	Freshwater Lake	1990	Phumdis (floating vegetation), endangered Sangai deer
Wular Lake	Jammu & Kashmir	189	Freshwater Lake	1990	Largest freshwater lake in India, regulates hydrology
Deepor Beel	Assam	40	Riverine Wetland	2002	Important Bird Area, elephants frequent region
Ropar Wetland	Punjab	13.65	Freshwater	2002	Supports fish diversity, pollution from urban areas
Sambhar Lake	Rajasthan	240	Saltwater Lake	1990	Largest inland saltwater lake in India, flamingo breeding ground
Ashtamudi Lake	Kerala	614	Estuarine	2002	Famous for backwaters, coconut lagoons, fishing economy
Nalsarovar Lake	Gujarat	120	Freshwater Lake	2012	Important for flamingos, declared a bird sanctuary

Seven Wonders of World (Ancient & Modern)

Ancient Seven Wonders of World:

Wonder	Location	Built By	Year Built	Current Status
Great Pyramid of Giza	Egypt	Egyptians	2560 BC	Only surviving ancient wonder
Hanging Gardens of Babylon	Iraq (Mesopotamia)	Babylonians	600 BC	Possibly mythical, no archaeological proof
Statue of Zeus at Olympia	Greece	Greeks	435 BC	Destroyed in 5th century AD
Temple of Artemis at Ephesus	Turkey	Greeks	550 BC	Destroyed by arson in 356 BC, later rebuilt, then destroyed by Goths
Mausoleum at Halicarnassus	Turkey	Persians	350 BC	Destroyed by earthquakes
Colossus of Rhodes	Greece	Greeks	280 BC	Destroyed by an earthquake in 226 BC
Lighthouse of Alexandria	Egypt	Ptolemaic Kingdom	280 BC	Destroyed by an earthquake in 1323 AD

New Seven Wonders of World (Declared in 2007):

Wonder	Location	Built By	Year Built	Key Features
Great Wall of China	China	Chinese Dynasties	7th Century BC	Longest man-made structure in world
Petra	Jordan	Nabataeans	312 BC	Rock-cut architecture, famous for Al-Khazneh
Christ Redeemer	Brazil	Catholic Church	1931	98-ft tall statue of Jesus, symbol of Christianity
Machu Picchu	Peru	Incas	1450 AD	Lost city of Incas, high-altitude ruins
Chichen Itza	Mexico	Mayans	600 AD	Pyramid of Kukulkan, Mayan astronomical significance
Colosseum	Italy	Romans	80 AD	Largest amphitheater in world
Taj Mahal	India	Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan	1632 AD	UNESCO World Heritage Site, symbol of love

For more information, please refer to IAS GYAN

Sources:

TOI

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Construction of artificial lakes like Ana Sagar in medieval India reflects an advanced understanding of water conservation & urban planning. Critically analyze historical, ecological, socio economic impacts of such water bodies in Indian subcontinent.