Will construction of retaining wall so late, control damages at Sonegaon lake?
| Date :21-Jun-2022 |
By Vikas Vaidya
Nagpur Municipal Corporation has taken up the work of constructing retaining wall at Sonegaon lake. Though the retaining wall is a necessary component in the survival of the lake, will so much delay in taking up the work, control the damages done to this lake by our city fathers, is a million dollar question.
Now, Sonegaon lake does not even have 25% water in it as compared to its storage capacity. It is heart-rending to see the lake not even half-filled. The waterbody is divided into small and large water ponds. A huge retaining wall Sahakar Nagar side is being constructed. According to a citizen, the retaining wall is important as the water in the lake will not flow out. That citizen regretfully said, the construction of the wall should have begun much earlier. As usual the civic authority has come out of deep slumber late. Who cares? Not even public, forget about the authorities and politicians.
Sonegaon lake bed is dry all over, with water at some places. Citizens living around the lake haven’t seen the lake with water in full capacity in it, for past several years. They are equally responsible for this sorry state of the lake. They indirectly supported the apathy, callousness shown by authorities, politicians. The authorities directly choked the catchment area of this once large lake by establishing a locality on it, making its survival difficult.
Did people oppose it? Did they refuse to grab opportunity of staying on bank of lake? When lake went dry, did they up their sleeves and start digging the lake? When lake went dry, who threw garbage in it? Everyone knows answers to these questions.
Now, after Botanical Garden, the bank of Sonegaon lake has become the destination for young couples. They are not trouble to anyone but they find privacy at this place as sans water all the social activities near the lake have come to standstill.
There are three intake wells near the lake through which water was tunneled to the downstream side of the lake. These intake wells keep alive the water sources through which the lake remains filled with water. But these sources are closed now. The overflow of water is diverted from Northern side of the lake which does not suit the topography of the area. To add to the woes, people have thrown garbage into the intake wells preventing water resources to revive. Original lake bed along the wall is paved which now not visible due to heavy siltation.
This waterbody is situated in the South West side of the city. Lake area is around 20 hectare. It was constructed in Bhosle period and was used to supply water to the military base. Once the lake wall was in good shape, but in past some years, the wall on the side of Sahakar Nagar got vanished. Now the wall is being constructed. There are two temples on the bank of the lake--one is of Lord Ganesh, other is of Hanuman. The drainage water from residential colonies flows into the lake spreading filth on one side. Many houses in the surrounding area have wells and decreasing water level will have its effects on the lake water. The catchment area of Sonegaon is the origination of Pora river. Due to the establishment of locality on the catchment area the overflow was experienced by Nagpurians some years ago. The disturbance at its catchment area resulted into the water overflow and logging in the locality. The Airport compound used to filled up with water. Finally authority diverted the water towards a nearby nullah. It was done by the politicians and builders with a plan. That ‘idea’ of diversion worked as the plot to kill this beautiful large lake.
Prof Anil Sole, Sandip Joshi, used to get desilting done on this historical lake on regular basis which helped this lake to have water in it. But this activity lacked consistency. Over the past several years, civic authority though made several plans all remained on paper. Apathy of people is also the reason of downfall of Sonegaon lake and it must be carrying its deep pain from within.