Mumbai

Mumbai: In response to growing concerns from local residents and environmentalists under the banner #SavePowaiLake, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has announced urgent and long-term measures to tackle the rampant growth of water hyacinths choking Powai Lake. The civic body will fast-track tenders for two crucial projects—diverting sewage lines and establishing a sewage treatment plant (STP)—while intensifying hyacinth removal efforts to restore the lake’s ecological balance.Recently, frustrated by the authorities’ prolonged inaction in cleaning Powai Lake—now overwhelmed by invasive water hyacinth—local residents and environmentalists launched a campaign under the banner #SavePowaiLake. The group has appealed to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, urging him to intervene and direct civic authorities to remove the thick mat of hyacinth suffocating the lake.Following the campaign, in a high-level review meeting at the BMC headquarters on Monday, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijit Bangar directed officials to issue work orders for the two sewage-related projects by next week. “Diverting sewage away from the lake is the only permanent solution to this environmental challenge,” Bangar stated.Also Read: Powai Lake Choked By Haycinth, Residents Launch ‘Save Powai Lake’ CampaignCurrently, around 18 million liters per day (MLD) of untreated sewage flows into Powai Lake. To address this, the BMC has proposed an 8 MLD STP at the site of the defunct Powai pumping station and will divert the remaining sewage to treatment plants via existing pipelines. These projects are expected to be completed within 18 months after commencement.Meanwhile, the growth of water hyacinths—fed by nutrient-rich sewage—has outpaced removal efforts. The weed continues to spread rapidly despite clearing nearly 25,000 metric tons of hyacinths over the past six months.To combat this, Bangar has ordered the immediate deployment of five additional machines and more manpower, with operations running in two shifts. After the monsoon, a total of six machines will be operational. “Until the sewage diversion is complete, the pace of hyacinth removal must be significantly increased,” he said.The civic body has also assured that biodiversity will not be harmed during the clean-up. Removal will be conducted under the guidance of experts from the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), with special care to protect nesting grounds of local bird species such as the Bronze-winged Jacana and Grey-headed Swamphen. Their breeding season, from June to September, could be affected if operations are not carefully managed.BMC and BNHS officials will conduct on-ground inspections at key locations around the lake—including Hotel Westin, Ganesh Ghat, Pawarwadi Ghat, and IIT Bombay—to assess the situation and plan further action.The long-pending action to protect Powai Lake is finally gaining attention, said the NatConnect Foundation, which has been coordinating with local groups in a joint campaign to Save Powai Lake.“Three years ago, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) mandated an action plan, and even the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) held a coordination committee meeting. Yet, it’s tragic that 18 MLD of untreated sewage continues to enter the lake,” said B N Kumar, director of NatConnect.He added that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) was forced to convene a review meeting on Tuesday to take stock of the situation—measures that, according to Kumar, “should have been implemented long ago.”“We hope that at least now the BMC will take serious steps to divert the sewage and restore the lake’s health,” Kumar emphasized.Pamela Cheema, a resident of Jalvayu Vihar, added, “We, the residents of Powai, want the lake to be preserved as a Conservation Reserve.”Senior BMC officials present at the meeting included Deputy Commissioner (Infrastructure) Shashank Bhore, Deputy Commissioner (Special Engineering) Yatin Dalvi, Hydraulic Engineer Purushottam Malavade, and Chief Engineer (Sewerage Projects) Vinod Kekan, alongside BNHS representatives.

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