Nagpur, India:  Despite efforts by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and local citizens, Eichhornia weeds are still spreading in Ambazari Lake. The NMC is now looking for a long-term solution. The CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI) has agreed to help by studying the problem and preparing a long-term report on managing the weeds. Many factors are causing the weed problem, and we are looking into all of them to find a long-term solution," said Dr Paras Pujari from CSIR-NEERI.

A few weeks ago, NMC, with help from citizens and NGOs, removed a lot of weeds from the lake. Many people joined in to clean the lake, with assistance from Fire Department divers and NMC staff. Despite these efforts, the weeds are still growing, and NMC is constantly working to remove them. "We are continuously removing the weeds. We have excavators, 'Jal Dost' boats, and workers cleaning the lake," said Dr. Shweta Banerjee, Superintending Engineer at NMC.

The main reason for the weed problem is sewage entering the lake from a drainage channel from the Wadi Municipal Council (WMC). To stop this, the State Government has provided Rs 10 crore to build a sewage treatment plant (STP) near the drainage channel. "The STP construction will take six more months. In the meantime, we are managing the weeds as best as we can. We asked NEERI to study the problem and create a weed management plan," said Dr. Banerjee. Last year, the city flooded because Eichhornia weeds blocked the overflow side of Ambazari Lake. With the monsoon season here again, these weeds are once more a big problem for residents.