Nagpur, India- Despite ongoing rejuvenation efforts, Sonegaon Lake appears is at a critical point due to the visible discharge of sewage water. The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) is working on rejuvenating Sonegaon Lake, similar to other water bodies  like Ambazari. The lake was drained for desilting purposes, yet sewage continues to flow into the lake bed from a nearby Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) managed by the Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT).

This STP is intended to treat the locality's sewage water and then release it into the lake. However, the discharge raises concerns about whether the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) norms are being followed. Media revealed that untreated "black" water from the STP is entering the lake without any barriers. Additionally, another section of the lake, where some water remains, is covered with Eichhornia weeds, similar to those in Ambazari Lake.

During the monsoon season, rainwater flows into Sonegaon Lake from the airport side. A nearby Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) releases treated water into the lake every day. These are the only two sources of water for Sonegaon Lake. While the rainwater only comes in during the monsoon, the treated sewage water is added daily.

Officials from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) say there are no specific rules against releasing treated sewage into lakes, but the STP must follow treatment standards. However, the black color water from the STP raises question about whether the sewage is properly treated.

Kaustav Chatterjee, an environmental expert and founder of Green Vigil Foundation, explained that untreated sewage has high levels of harmful substances, while treated sewage should meet certain safety standards. If these standards are not met, it can harm the lake and its ecosystem.

Chatterjee pointed out that Ambazari Lake got highly polluted because of untreated sewage discharge, suggesting that proper analysis of treated sewage should be required and made public. Despite official claims that the water being released into Sonegaon Lake is treated, the situation shows that the lake, originally built to help make Nagpur a green city, is slowly dying.