Environmental Management of Urban Lakes with Special Reference to Oussudu/S.A. Abbasi and K.B. Chari. New Delhi, Discovery, 2008, xxii, 270 p., tables, figs., ISBN 81-8356-348-2.

    Contents: Preface. I. Oussudu and Its Management: 1. Oussudu lake: an introduction. 2. Application of GIS and remote sensing in the environmental assessment of Oussudu watershed. 3. Soil quality of Oussudu and its possible relationship with the water quality. 4. Flora of Oussudu watershed. 5. A study of the aquatic and amphibious weeds of Oussudu lake. 6. Assessment of impact of land use changes on the plankton community of a shallow fresh water lake in South India by GIS and remote sensing. 7. Primary productivity of Oussudu lake. 8. A study on the fish fauna of Oussudu: a rare fresh water lake of South Indian Peninsula. 9. Ecology, habitat and bird community structures at Oussudu lake: towards a strategy for conservation and management. 10. Water quality status of Oussudu Lake. 11. Socio-economic implications of the Oussudu lake (Pondicherry, India). II. OWIS (Ousteri Water Resources Information System): 12. OWIS: an overview. 13. Architecture of OWIS (User guide). 14. OWIS reference guide. 15. OWIS in future. III. Summary and conclusion: 16. Summary and conclusion. Draft.

    "The importance of lakes as sustainers and enrichers of life has been recognized by humans from pre-historic times. Prefixing terms of affection or reverence such as 'mother', or 'holy' with the names of lakes as rivers has been common to most ancient civilizations. So has been the wisdom that protection of lakes amounts to protection of one's own life and well-being.

    India's being among the oldest and richest of civilizations, creating or developing lakes, and protecting the existing ones, have been regarded as pious activities; acts of Punya. There is equally strong condemnation for all the acts which may damage a lake or pollute its waters. Concern for natural resources, in general, and of rivers and lakes in particular, is reflected in all ancient Indian texts.

    But as the 21 century unfolds, bringing in its wake the spectre of global warming and the imminent loss of freshwater resources, we are forced to look back at our rots and to all the traditions of conservations that had kept the roots strong and healthy till now.

    Luckily for us, the same technology which, when misused and overused, had led to the neglect of our natural resources, now can be called to our rescue. If used judiciously, the technology can help as in reversing the harmful trends.

    This book, authored by the internationally acclaimed environmentalist Prof. S.A. Abbasi and the GIS expert Dr. K.B. Chari is a mine of information. The do-how, and know-how contained in the book would be invaluable to all those interested in studying urban lakes and in devising strategies for their protection." (jacket)

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