When National Investigation Agency (NIA) personnel searched the Ranchi lake yesterday looking for bags full of explosives allegedly dropped by Indian Mujahideen (IM) operatives, it brought to the fore how the reservoir created in 19th century to maintain ground water in the capital has turned into the biggest dumping yard for city’s sewer.
In fact, 53-acre Ranchi lake has been a silent witness to its continuous degradation of over 172 years from a beautiful lake to the stinking water body where cleanliness is still a far cry and the agencies, including the Urban Development department and Ranchi Municipal Corporation supposed to maintain it have simply failed. Col. Osle had developed the lake in 1842.
The lake is surrounded by dense population from all sides that also includes a hospital and lots of small eateries dotting along one side of the lake. While the hospital after being rapped by Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board has mended its behavior small eateries and shops have not stopped their contribution to the filth that has accumulated in the lake.
“We have made arrangements for disposing biomedical waste however we are not responsible if a patient or person coming to the hospital throws some unwanted materials in the lake,” said Secretary of Nagarmal Modi Seva Sadan, Vishnu lohia.
Yet, people living around the lake believe that the amount of garbage on the bed of the lake begs for even harder effort to restore the 19th century lake to its pristine beauty. However, the word lake has become a misnomer due to half-hearted waste management at the lake. The toxicity of the water finding its way from Upper Bazaar into the lake has taken its toll on aquatic life. Fisheries that was once the mainstay of small fisherman put up near the lake is no more an ideal means for sustenance.
“Cleanliness at the lake is only limited to removing water hyacinth once in a month. Whereas the time has come to even think about the quality of water. We face a lot of problem during festivals especially Chhath puja,” said Niranjan Mishra, a resident of Purani Ranchi.
Interestingly, the Ranchi Jheel Bachao Abhiyan has fallen flat and its members gone into oblivion in the wake of little interest exhibited on the part of the Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC). The tree and the concrete place created in the middle of lake to add to the beauty of lake now bear the mark of decades of neglect.
Nonetheless, the RMC claims to pay special attention to the lake with fulltime deputation and special cleanliness drive from time-to-time. However, even the municipal body has no answers to the toxic water of the lake.
“We have deputed two labours for fulltime. Besides, special cleaning drive is run during festivals,” said PRO of RMC, Naresh Kumar Sinha.
RMC officials also assert that the corporation is working under the aegis of State Urban Development and mulling to divert the route of drains so that they can maintain the water quality of this lake.
“There are many sewage pipes connected to this lake whose effluents enter here everyday. Though we have stopped the entry of few such effluents but are facing difficulties in changing the route of remaining ones because of the unplanned structure of the city. Efforts of making a systematic approach to this drainage system are being drafted,” RMC Deputy Mayor Sanjeev Vijayvargiya said on Tuesday.
He further added, “A fortnight back we called the consultancy representatives preparing the detailed project report of this beautification. The entire set up will be done within a budget of `7 to 8 crore.”
Incidentally, RMC received an amount of `4 crore from the state government today for this project three-four days back.
Vijayvargiya said that they already have a fund of `2 crore and are now in a position to fasten then beautification process. “A Water Treatment Plant is to be made in the lake as part of this beautification,” he said.
Speaking on the on-ground initiatives of the corporation, sources at RMC informed that no step has been taken by RMC on renovating the park after December 15 last year when a boat with 15 passengers capsized in the lake (including present Chief Secretary Sajal Chakravorty who was then the Additional Chief Secretary of Tourism) just after the inauguration of the Corporation’s newly made park at this lake premises.
“The footpath around the lake was made prior to the park inauguration. But, the construction of boundary wall of this lake is yet to be done,” said a Technical Staff of RMC.