Will NMC be able to rejuvenate Naik Talao?

When one reads the book ‘Aaj Bhi Khare Hai Talab’ by Anupam Mishra, one realises the importance of lakes. The book should be given to every policy-maker to read. It is the lakes that kept life in Rajasthan. Had the state not maintained the lakes, it would have got declared drought State. Nagpur is facing the extinction of waterbodies, fortunately civic authorities are trying to rejuvenate them. How far they would succeed at this state is to be seen. Naik Talao has always stayed in the shadow of Lendi Talao in the sense, water used to flow from Lendi to it.

In recent time, it got sewage water that got mixed in Lendi Talao. Now, Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has taken up the rejuvenation of lakes and it is beginning it with Naik and Futala. Condition of both the lakes is altogether different, so it is to be seen whether civic body will be able to rejuvenate this water body. Naik, Lendi and Dobi, all the three lakes are in close proximity. Naik Talao lies in the North of Lendi and to the West of Dobi covering an area over 3 hectares. Naik Talao was once a part of a private estate that also comprised farm lands to its North where presently the Bangladesh locality exists. Naik Talao is mainly surrounded by slums which depend on the lake water for their daily necessities of washing and bathing.

To add to its woes, the idol immersions too are done in this lake. Though NMC has brought an options of artificial immersion tanks, people stick to their belief do not use those. They give religious importance to the lake. That also make the condition of lake bad. There is a Shiv Mandir situated at the bank of lake where lot of religious activities take place. This northern edge where the temple lie is also covered by the debris of demolished structures. Civic body over the period of years has been neglecting this north edge. Now this particular part of the lake has become den for anti-social activities, gambling, doping etc.

NMC with the help of National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) is planning to clean up the Futala Lake and Naik Talao. As per the project NEERI is supposed to find out the source of pollution. The agency doing this work will not only have to find out the source but also come up with the solution to destroy it. Naik Talao receives water from one of the overflows of the Lendi Talao at its Southern edge. The water that comes to Naik Talao from Lendi is highly contaminated.

Yuvraj Nagpur who runs an agency that takes up work of cleaning lakes claims he has closed the outlet of Lendi lake through which water flows and goes to the of NEERI has to find out the source, but the solution is difficult. Considering proximity of Naik to Lendi lake, it is not that easy for any agency to come up with the solution.