Pohra River is a fine example of the city’s unplanned expansion at the cost of natural water streams. Pohra river is the second tributary of the Naag river after Pili river, which is also struggling for its existence. Though the river’s origin remains untraceable, it flows from Yashoda Nagar in South West Nagpur and joins the Naag river after passing through different localities. To rejuvenate Pohra River, Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) initiated the ambitious Rs 900 crore Pohra River Pollution Abatement Project, in which the civic body will block entry of sewage in the river and construct a sewage treatment plant (STP) to clean sewage water and use it in gardens. The construction of STP has already been done, but the issue of sewage in the water body is still contentious.

 

The residents of Narsala area are now struggling with bad odour, mosquitoes, and contaminated ground water due to the newly-constructed STP. Instead of treating sewage, the STP raised problems for local residents as the stagnant water is causing health hazard to nearby residential areas. Santosh Verma, a resident of Narsala area said, “We are battling this issue since the time of the construction of STP. Now though it is complete, the issue refuses to die. Many residents in the locality are suffering from diseases like Malaria, Dengue, Chikungunya, etc.” We were opposing this STP here from the beginning and now also, we lodged complaints with the civic body, but no action has been taken so far from their side, another resident of Narsala area Anant Patil told ‘The Hitavada’.

 

“Infrastructure development is needed for city’s development. But the administration should consider problems of citizens before planning and implementing any project. The newly-constructed STP is a perfect example of mindless planning of NMC which is now creating problems for nearby residents,” said Adv Rasika Barahate, a resident of New Narsala. NMC, every year, initiates cleanliness campaign for this river before monsoon. ‘The Hitavada’ recently did a fact check and found that sewage water was stagnant at many stretches, with plastic and other solid waste floating in the river, making the water body not only an eyesore, but also a health hazard. Like Ambazari lake and Naag river, the Pohra river has also become a victim of Eichhornia weeds. The newly-constructed STP near Narsala village is also witnessing spread of Eichhornia weeds in the catchment area.