Monsoon Nears, NMC Races To Clear Ambazari Lake, Stop Sewage Inflow

Nagpur: Facing a narrow window before the onset of monsoon, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) launched a full-scale operation to rid the historic Ambazari Lake of water hyacinth, with civic officials warning that failure to clear the invasive weed could obstruct water flow into the Nag River and increase flood risks.Inspecting the ongoing drive on Saturday, municipal commissioner Vipin Itankar said the civic body has set a one-month deadline to remove most of the weed cover from the lake. "Our immediate priority is to remove the weeds before the monsoon. If we fail to do so, the weeds can block the outlet towards the Nag River and worsen flooding," he said.Mayor Neeta Thakre, standing committee chairperson Shivani Dani-Wakhare, chairpersons of other special committees Divya Dhurde, Darshani Dhawad, Mangala Khekare, Manisha Atkare, among others, visited the lake and reviewed the drive.Spread across 65 acres, Ambazari Lake was almost entirely engulfed by water hyacinth until a few months ago. Itankar claimed nearly 40% of the lake has now been cleared through an intensive mechanised operation involving seven Poclain machines, 10 JCBs, 20 tipper trucks and a weed harvester. "Around 1.3 lakh tons of weed have been removed, and our drive is still underway," he said.At present, one weed-harvesting machine is operational at the lake, while a second machine is expected shortly through CSR support from Western Coalfields Limited (WCL), which officials hope will significantly accelerate the cleanup. The restoration effort is part of a larger plan to revive one of Nagpur's most iconic water bodies. Itankar said the administration wants to transform Ambazari into a clean and vibrant urban lake."Our aim is that people should eventually be able to swim in the lake again," he said, adding that eco-tourism initiatives such as a cycling track along the western edge of the lake are also being planned.The commissioner also directed officials to explore newer technologies for weed removal. His remarks came after corporator Yogesh Pachpore suggested installing a conveyor belt system for faster extraction of water hyacinth. Chief sanitation officer Gajendra Mahalle informed that the mechanical department has already prepared a ₹40 lakh estimate for the proposal.Officials said one of the major challenges facing the lake is the discharge of nearly 11MLD of untreated sewage from Wadi. However, a sewage treatment plant currently in the final stages of completion is expected to become operational within two months, ensuring that only treated water enters the lake.The next phase of restoration will focus on desilting the lakebed, for which a dedicated machine will be procured. Authorities also plan to secure the defunct Jack Well premises to prevent accidents. Mayor Thakre directed the administration to speed up the weed-removal operation given the approaching monsoon."The work is progressing, but it must be expedited. Ambazari is a historic lake and an important part of Nagpur's identity," she said.Thakre said the restoration drive forms a key component of the Environment Conservation Fortnight being observed from June 5 to June 21. She noted that civic officials, employees, environmental organisations, NGOs, and citizens have joined hands in the campaign.For nearly one-and-a-half months, teams have been working continuously to remove water hyacinth from the lake. "The results are now visible. This is not merely a cleanliness drive but an effort to restore and preserve one of the city's most valuable natural assets," she said.