NMC deploys harvesters and earthmovers as water hyacinth resurfaces at Ambazari Lake

Nagpur, October 31: The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has adopted a two-pronged strategy to stop water hyacinth (Eichhornia) from returning to Ambazari Lake. After months of effort, the central part of the lake is now largely free of the weed. However, fresh hyacinth has begun to grow in the shallow water along the edges, so the corporation has stepped up machine cleaning and continuous monitoring.

The new growth is said to be sprouting from dormant seeds buried in the silt at the lake bed. To deal with it, the NMC is running aquatic harvesters in the water, while JCB and poklain machines have been deployed on the banks, especially where boats and heavy cleaning machines cannot reach.

Deputy Commissioner Rajesh Bhagat said the central part of the lake is clear for now, but seeds buried at the bottom could sprout again over time. The new plants growing along the edges are still small. But shallow water and mud make it difficult to run heavy harvesters there. A different machine has therefore been assigned after assessing conditions at each spot. Harvesters are working where the water is easy to reach, while JCB and poklain machines are handling the areas that boats and harvesters cannot go.

According to Bhagat, removing the existing hyacinth alone will not be enough. Preventing its return will require continuous monitoring and machine cleaning throughout the year. The corporation plans to remove new hyacinth as soon as it appears, so that it does not spread across the whole lake again.

Corporation officials believe that unless the flow of untreated sewage into Ambazari Lake stops, machine cleaning alone will not provide a lasting solution. Additional Commissioner Ankit said new hyacinth is currently being removed by hand and by machine, but the long-term solution depends on the Wadi sewage treatment plant (STP) becoming operational. Once it starts, the plant is expected to keep untreated household wastewater out of the lake. That would reduce the supply of organic nutrients that make hyacinth grow excessively.

Corporator Yogesh Pachpor said continuous monitoring is under way to keep the weed from spreading again. Along with the machine cleaning, four labourers are said to be working daily on the banks, removing new hyacinth by hand.

The NMC has taken another step towards restoring the lake over the long term. A provision of Rs 5 crore has been made in the Standing Committee for buying a special desilting machine. The trial run of the Wadi STP is also close to completion. Once the plant is operational, the NMC wants to put in place a permanent system of monitoring and maintenance to keep Ambazari Lake clean and prevent the return of water hyacinth.