The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to improve the water quality of the small lakes of the city. Sion, Kurla, and Charkop lakes have been selected for the pilot project. The water of these lakes will be cleaned with the help of the bioremediation process. Earlier, the civic body had taken up beautification work of these lakes. But this time, the authorities intend to focus on preventing sewage flow into the lakes, said the civic officials.
"The ingress of sewage pollutes the lakes. Besides this, the immersion of idols made from Plaster of Paris (POP) further pollutes the water. In the bioremediation process, the lake water will be treated, and water fountains and aerators will be installed. This process will make lake water cleaner," said the BMC Sewerage Department civic official.
The civic body will appoint a consultant to prepare and submit a report on measures to stop the sewage water discharge from drains into these lakes within one year after a work order is issued. The work will start post-monsoon in October. This process will allow the fish and other aquatic life to thrive, the official added.
The oxygen levels at the Sheetal lake in Kurla, Sion lake, and Dingeshwar lake at Charkop in Kandivali, will be improved by the implementation of this project. After its success, the BMC intends to continue the project in other city lakes.
The proposal of cleaning these lakes at the cost of Rs. 1 crore was tabled in the BMC's Standing Committee in August 2021. But, the committee held the proposal and ordered the civic administration to organise a detailed project.
"The civic body should have come up with a detailed project and include all the lakes in this project,'' said the former Opposition leader and Senior Congress leader Ravi Raja. In December 2017, several fish were found dead due to a lack of oxygen by contamination of the water in Sion lake.
