Time and again, ‘The Hitavada’ has raised the pertinent topic of saving the lakes, now again through its CityLine article dated April 2. With futuristic vision, the Bhonsale rulers created lakes in the city with the dual purpose of water supply and maintaining greenery. After the creative role of Bhonsale rulers, the onus of planning of development of Nagpur was given to Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT), established in 1937. In 1951, city got Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) as a primary service provider and planning unit. But both NIT and NMC failed to work in unison to preserve the heritage parts of Nagpur city. In fact, NIT and NMC continuously neglected to protect the heritage lakes. Latching on to the freedom and non-attention of NMC-NIT, the encroaching citizens first grabbed the catchment areas of heritage lakes and then slowly started grabbing the core areas.

 

The result is the lakes viz. Lendi Talao, Naik Talao, Dhobi Talao, Pandharabodi Talao among some are on the verge of extinction. Only a few lakes of the city viz. Ambazari Lake, Telangkhedi Lake, Gorewada Lake, Gandhisagar Lake, Sonegaon Lake, Sakkardara Lake have the fortune of survival. The catchment areas of Naik Talao were engulfed by Bangladesh locality created in 1971. Though NMC started some efforts to preserve Naik Talao with the help of NEERI, the exercise proved futile due to halfhearted focus. Now, comes the important part of discussions on saving the heritage lakes of Nagpur city. A lake is totally killed in a time span of 50-100 years. The present status of many of the heritage lakes of Nagpur city indicates that in another 20-25 years these lakes will be a part of history. So, the governing bodies of Nagpur city have to act very fast and probably this will be their last chance to become the saviour of heritage lakes.

 

Since NMC and NIT have wider domains, the responsibility of saving the lakes lies solely with the Heritage Conservation Committee of Nagpur city. But with present empowerment, the HCC will not be able to do justice with the mission. Unless the HCC is bestowed with judicial powers of forcing their recommendations to execute, the scenario will not improve. The recommendations and action plan of HCC should be binding on NMC, NIT and other sister organisations. Retired Judges may also be co-opted in the Heritage Conservation Committee to see the legal part of its recommendations and planning. It will be the responsibility of newly elected Corporators to actively support the Heritage Conservation Committee to preserve the heritage lakes. In fact, NMC should have a separate Committee on Preserving the Heritage lakes of Nagpur city. Unless, some concrete steps are taken urgently, the act of serial killings of heritage lakes of Nagpur city will be finished shortly.