By Kritika Gangwar
The civic administration has decided to spend Rs.2.5 crore on clearing water hyacinth which has resulted in the increase in mosquito breeding. Citizens have raised concerns over this, they are frustrated over the weed in the water bodies that comes back every three to four months and the past removal drives didn’t prove to be much effective.
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to spend Rs.1 crore and Rs.1.5 crore in cleaning the rivers Mula and Mutha and in the removal of aquatic weeds from Pashan and Katraj lakes respectively. Tenders have been ordered to hire agencies to carry out the task and the removal of hyacinth will not be done manually instead it will be mechanised.
Residents have criticized the functioning of the administration which failed to manage the issue over the years.
“We want PMC to figure out long term solutions, remove the hyacinth and ensure it doesn’t grow again. Unfortunately, we are not sure if it is possible considering the filthy condition of lakes and rivers” said Suraj Mate, a resident of the Pashan lake area.
PMC officials said that the increase in the water hyacinth is due to the dirty and untreated water that is being released in rivers and lakes. The civic body is planning water treatment plants at both the Katraj and Pashan lakes and is working on a river pollution abatement project to stop effluents from entering the water bodies.
A civic official told that different methods were used to reduce the water hyacinth from spreading by the administration. For now they have decided to do so by the use of machinery which will begin shortly in the upcoming days and will carry on for the next two months.
Residents emphasized that the administration should engage experts and seek long term strategies to solve the issue.