NAGPUR: Since the last seven years, sewage has been pouring into Gorewada lake which supplies water to 70% areas of the city. Yet, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has been completely unaware of it. It was only after several complaints by the BJP corporator from Dhaba, Jagdish Gwalbanshi, that the NMC officials decided to act.

The exact level of water contamination is not known but the quantity is quite high as only sewage flows through Khadak Nullah which brings in pollutants from several unauthorized layouts upstream. Gorewada lake gets its water from four streams and the Totladoh reservoir. It is then treated at four water treatment plants before being released for consumption. What's alarming is that the plants are meant for only purifying potable water and not for sewage treatment.

"Without realizing, we have been consuming sewage water too," said Gwalbanshi who has been trying to escalate the problem with the NMC since 1997. "Constructions have taken place over the years and since the last seven years, the problem has gone from bad to worse."

Finally, on Friday, a team of officials from NMC and Nagpur Improvement Trust, led by mayor Anil Sole and NIT chairman Praveen Darade, visited the spot where the nullah meets the lake. Sole tried to downplay the seriousness of the issue. "It's not very serious but requires immediate measures," said the mayor.

A walk along parts of Khadak Nullah from its current origin at Sonba Nagar to the catchment area of Gorewada lake reveals that the area has been completely neglected by the NMC. The nullah is 3-4 metres wide at Sonba Nagar and was supposedly a natural water stream that used to flow from the mountains close by.

Sonba Nagar, situated near Lava village which is about 15km from here, is witnessing dramatic development since the last seven years. Since there is no sewage system, the water simply flows into Khadak Nullah. It widens after collecting more sewage from Suyog Layout, Tekdiwadi and Palandurkar Layout.

There is one sewage tank constructed at Suyog Layout and four more downstream. All five are in pathetic condition with sewage continuously pouring into the nullah.

Development is taking place at a frenetic pace between Suyog Layout and Sumantai Wasnik Institute of Nursing. In coming days, sewage from here too is expected to fall into the nullah. Finally, after going under Katol Road near the toll tax booth, the nullah enters Gorewada lake, carrying huge pollutants.

According to urban infrastructure norms, the sewage lines from Sonba Nagar, Suyog Layout, Tekdiwadi and Palandurkar Layout should have been connected to a trunk which would have then carried the filthy water up to Dhaba and Bor Nullah and away from Gorewada Lake.

The current sorry state of affairs would not have arisen had the NMC regularly monitored the streams that bring water into Gorewada lake. NMC's executive engineer Shashikant Hastak was not available for comments despite repeated attempts.

A senior NMC official told TOI that the water works department collects samples from the lake every month to test its quality. "No report of any high contamination of water has ever been reported," he said. The official also claimed that it's not the responsibility of the water works department to monitor the streams.

Sole said that the NMC and NIT would now prepare a joint plan to construct a sewage system that would take the polluted water to Bor Nullah so that Khadak Nullah remains unpolluted.

Dirty Flow

* The Khadak Nullah originates from Sonba Nagar and flows into Gorewada after collecting sewage water along the way

* Sewage tanks built along the way are in extremely poor condition

* Several new constructions coming at an alarming rate will only increase the pollution in Khadak Nullah

* Despite complaints, the NMC has failed to act for seven years

* The NMC and NIT to prepare joint plan to reduce the damage

NAGPUR: Many areas of the city are facing water shortage as construction of 20 overhead water tanks under stage III of Pench IV project of JNNURM is way behind schedule. So far, only four tanks have been commissioned. The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) was supposed to complete the work between May and December 2011. The civic body has now revised the deadline and expects to complete work on the remaining tanks by December 2012.

The Centre had approved the project in December 2006. Work started in March 2008 and the deadline was March 2011, which was later pushed ahead by a few months.

The location of these tanks is critical for ensuring proper water supply. If a tank is far away from the locality, the pressure reduces by the time water reaches the locality, resulting into drop in quantity. So far, four tanks have been commissioned at Sakkardara, Jaitala, Shanti Nagar and Pratap Nagar. Areas where the remaining tanks are being constructed include Nandanvan (two), Bhandewadi, Kharbi Road, Babhulvan and Pardi (two) in East Nagpur, Bastarwari (two), Binaki (two) and Indora (two) in North Nagpur, Omkar Nagar and Hanuman Nagar in South Nagpur, and Seminary Hills, Trimurti Nagar and Gorewada in West Nagpur.

Work at Babhulvan, Trimurti Nagar and Gorewada got delayed due to land acquisition problems while the design for the Seminary Hills tank has been approved only recently.

Commenting on the delay, mayor Anil Sole said, "It took time to acquire land. However, NMC has completed the process barring for one or two. Forest department has recently cleared the proposal for acquiring its land at Gorewada."

Sole further said that most of the tanks are ready but they have not been connected to the main feeder pipeline. The distribution network of some tanks was also incomplete, he said.

A NMC official said that there were several other reasons for the delay. "Some months ago there was shortage of steel and cement. Another problem is that construction labourers are not available locally. Contractors have to bring them from Chhattisgarh. Cash flow was also a big problem for some months. However, most of the problems have been sorted out," the official said.