`Apna Sarovar, Apni Dharohar' MEDIA SEMINAR AND TECH FEST 2008
ANNUAL EVENT OF SGSITS
Upper Lake, also known as Bada Talaab ("Big Lake") in local dilect is a large artificial lake which lies on the Western side of the capital city of Madhya Pradesh Bhopal. It is a major source of potable water to the residents of the city, serving around 40% of the residents with nearly 30 million gallons per day.
The fishing rights to the Bada Talaab have been given on long lease by the Bhopal Municipal Corporation to fishermen co-operative consisting of some 500 fishermen families. Fishing is mainly done on its South-Eastern shores. The lake also serves as the source of water for irrigating a large area. There are 87 villages in its catchment area in the Bhopal as well as Sehore districts. Agriculture is the main source of livelihood for people in these areas and most farmers have livestock as well. While some farmers have large landholdings, many farmers are small and marginal farmers with only a few acres of land.
Bada Talaab attracts a lot of tourists and locals due to its scenic beauty. India's first National Sailing Club has been established at the Boat Club on its Eastern side. This club offers various water sports such as kayaking, canoeing, rafting, water skiing, parasailing etc. A number of operators provide facilities for exciting trips by sail, paddle and motor boats. Van Vihar National Park, situated on the South-Eastern side of the lake, attracts lot of tourists due to its unique set-up. The road passing through it has on one side the animals in their natural habitats, and on the other hand is the scenic beauty of the lake.

Bhopal is facing its worst water crisis in the last 50 years and now a massive campaign is on to save its largest water body - the Upper Lake. Built in the eleventh century, a major source of water for more than a million people in the city, the Upper Lake has shrunk alarmingly from 31 sq km to just nine sq km.
In order to save upper lake SGSITS,indore has come forward to organize its annual event with the theme `Apna Sarovar, Apni Dharohar' which aims to create an awareness among the people to conserve it.