The Eichhornia menace in Ambazari lake will haunt the civic body and the people of Nagpur at least six more months as the construction work of the sewage treatment plant (STP) on the nullah which is releasing sewage in the iconic water body is just 60% completed and the work is facing technical glitch. Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) declared the nullah, which is carrying sewage from Wadi area, as the main culprit for growth of Eichhornia weeds in Ambazari lake and to stop the sewage, Wadi Municipal Council (WMC) started construction of the STP one year ago. Even after one year, the project is just halfway completed due to various reasons and citizens, specially the residents who are living near the waterbody, will have to face the next monsoon with the Eichhornia weeds.

 

Ambazari Lake is struggling for its survival due to flooding of Eichhornia weeds for more than one year and the civic body is just removing the weeds from the lake but it is repeatedly appearing due to presence of sewage. To stop entering of sewage, WMC started construction of the STP and connecting every corner of the Wadi area with drainage line. “There are some financial crunch we are facing currently but we are hopeful that it will be solved end of this financial year,” Rucha Dabhade, Chief Officer, Wadi Municipal Council told ‘The Hitavada’. WMC is also struggling to get No Objection Certificate (NOC) for digging work for laying of drainage line on Amravati Road from National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) which is also delaying the project.

 

WMC is laying sewer network of around 72 km in Wadi area which has a population of around 70,000. The work on more than 25 kms length of sewer line has completed, informed Dabhade. Due to absence of sewer line, sewage from Wadi area is being released directly in Ambazari lake for many years. With passage of time, the quantity of sewage increased, and this might have caused frequent spread of the weed in Ambazari lake.

 

The STP is being readied near a cremation ground close to Ambedkar Nagar in Wadi area. The sludge from the treated sewage would be used to manufacture fertiliser. The operation and maintenance of the STP would be a good source of revenue generation for the municipal council in near future. The WMC has also chalked out a plan to cash in on the treated sewage water by supplying it to Hingna MIDC for a fee. The STP can treat 11 MLD sewage daily and release the treated water in the Ambazari lake.