Badkhal Lake

Badkhal Lake was a former natural lake situated in Badkhal village near Faridabad, in the Indian state of Haryana, about 32 kilometers from Delhi. Fringed by the hills of the Aravalli Range this was a man-made embankment. Owing to unchecked mining in neighbouring areas, the lake has now totally dried up. There are functional Haryana Tourism restaurants in the vicinity. A flower show is held every spring here. Its name is most probably derived from the Persian word bedakhal, which means free from interference. Close to Badhkal Lake, is the Peacock Lake, which is another picturesque spot.HistoryThis was once a large lake, where boating and other tourist activities took place. Migratory birds also used to visit the lake., the lake is almost a completely dried up to leave only grassy terrain and the unusually low rainfall in the area has been cited. Certain mines surrounding the lake are also responsible for blocking the flow of water to the lake. A number of mineral water companies have also taken water from the lake for their own purposes.In January 2010, the lake and the nearby Surajkund was filled up with water in conjunction with 2010 Commonwealth Games, however in March 2014, in a survey report released by the Delhi Parks and Gardens Society (DPGS), under the Government of Delhi's department of environment, the lake was completely dry and completely dependent on rains for water. The report also revealed 190 of 611 water bodies in Delhi had also gone dry.