By Disha Gupta
Residents in Pune, who live near Mula and Mutha rivers are dealing with an increasing mosquito problem as a result of the water hyacinth’s resurgence in some areas. In the weeks to come, temperatures are expected to rise, raising worries that the issue may get worse.
In places like Mula Road, the riverbed near Holkar Bridge is completely covered in water hyacinth patches that go all the way to Sangam Bridge. In addition, people who live near the Mutha River in places like Sinhagad Road, Shaniwar Peth, Sadashiv Peth, Kharadi, and Keshavnagar have observed a significant increase in mosquito activity. To make things more severe, commuters in the immediate vicinity of RTO, Dengale Bridge, and Deccan Gymkhana also observe a lot of hyacinth.
This issue is not just limited to the rivers, but lakes in Katraj, Pashan, and Jambhulwadi have also had similar problems for many years. If the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) does not respond quickly, residents are concerned that the growth of hyacinth would increase mosquito breeding and the risk of disease.
According to experts, the continuing problem of water hyacinth is caused by garbage and untreated sewage entering the river, which reduces the quality of the water. The hyacinth continues to grow despite the PMC’s yearly cleanup efforts, creating an ongoing issue.
The main cause of the continuous issue of water hyacinth in rivers and lakes is the release of untreated waste or the mixing of garbage with river water. Hyacinth is removed annually by PMC, but because of the low water quality, it reappears, the thick covering of weed makes the river cleaning unattainable.
Water hyacinth is one among all of the problems that PMC has not been able to properly address, according to civic activist Vivek Velankar. “The civic body is spending a lot of money, but to no effect. There hasn’t been a scientific method to address the issue, to maintain the river’s hygiene, PMC must work regularly”. PMC officials said the contractors have been directed to focus on weed removal from areas close to residential areas. “We are trying to get rid of hyacinth in areas that are at risk. Squads from the health department have been told to regularly fog areas around bodies of water”, officials said. According to former corporators, PMC spends enormous amounts of money yearly in removing the water hyacinth, but the results are never sufficient.