Mumbai: BMC Halts Powai Lake Rejuvenation Work Until June 10 for Bird Nesting Season

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has suspended the work of natural preservation and rejuvenation of Powai Lake until June 10, following suggestions from the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS). Officials from the BMC and representatives of BNHS visited the Powai Lake area on Saturday, May 18, 2024, and subsequently submitted a site inspection report with important observations to the BMC administration. According to the report, the bird nesting season generally lasts until June 10, 2024, in areas where birds have their habitat at Powai Lake. Bird nests have been primarily found along the waterways and near the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Mumbai. Consequently, bird watchers and researchers requested that the hyacinth removal work be postponed until after the breeding season.

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The civic body accepted this request and temporarily stopped the work on the specified side of the lake, with plans to resume after June 10, 2024. However, since no bird habitats were found on the side along Adi Shankaracharya Road, the work of removing hyacinth from that side continues.

The civic body has undertaken the clearing process since March 8 to preserve and rejuvenate the natural environment of Powai Lake. A total of about 24,985 metric tons of hyacinth is expected to be removed from Powai Lake. As of May 22, 2024, around 13,920 metric tons, or 55 percent of the water hyacinth, has already been removed. During this work, the civic body claims to take precautions to protect and conserve the natural elements while removing the water hyacinth.