NGO undertakes ‘Shramdaan’ for saving Lohara lake water
| Date :18-Aug-2019 |
The lake in Lohara jungle is full of water now.
By Ramesh Marulkar:
Constructs earthen weir to retain water in the lake Members of Habitat Conservation Society, a Non-Governmental Organisation, from Chandrapur, offered ‘Shramdaan’ for constructing an earthern weir at Lohara lake situated in the jungle belonging to Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM) and saved the otherwise flowing water. The lake is situated by the side of Ballarshah-Gondia railway line near Lohara and Junona villages.
The water in it used to go waste due to breach on one side. It is a major waterhole for wild animals but the dried lake did not serve those during summer months. Illegal grazing by domestic animals from nearby villages in jungle also created problems to herbivores for insufficient food. The members of society submitted memoranda to the authorities concerned of FDCM during the past two years, urging them to undertake repair works to restore precious water in it but in vain. FDCM offered to provide a tractor but asked members to pay for diesel. Tired of repeated requests, the society itself undertook the work of putting sand bags at the openings and developed a weir.
This helped the lake holding water till summer last year but with the onset of monsoon the weir got washed away. Then, the Railways undertook the work of bridge/underpass at the track. The society asked FDCM to allow the soil/debris to be dumped at the breaches at two sides but it refused to do so. The society requested Railway officers supervising the work there and they agreed to dump the soil/debris with the help of JCB, said Dinesh Khate of the society while talking to ‘The Hitavada’ on Saturday.
The workers monitored the activity and also helped completing the earthen weir at the breaches during this summer. As the monsoon started this year, the lake is full to its brim, despite some small leakages at the weir. Whenever the members visit the lake they feel happy to see their efforts bearing fruits. Khate, Jubi Shaeikh, Purvesh Gajbhe, Jatin Swan, Tushar Lengure, Suyog Nagrale, Kowe, Sachin Wazalwar, Prashant Khobragade and others, who put in hard work to restore water in the lake, feel satisfied to see the lake with full of water.