444-year-old Neknampur Lake gasps for life as our collective apathy threatens its fragile ecosystem

On Thursday, a raging fire broke out on the banks of the

Neknampur Lake

, yet again. This was the third fire in just one month caused by the burning of garbage dumped illegally near the lake. The biggest casualty of such fires is the fragile ecosystem of the newly-revived lake, lament environmental activists, who were instrumental in resuscitating the lake last year. “Garbage burning has become a serious threat to the 150 species of birds, reptiles and aquatic and plant life that thrives in and around the lake. The people living nearby are still dumping trash here unmindfully. This lake is not even in the list of Pollution Control Board and our pleas to the authorities have only fallen on deaf ears,” shares a concerned Madhulika Choudhary, who runs a self-funded eco-group called

Dhruvansh

that heralded the lake’s rejuvenation project undertaken in 2016.

Villagers add fuel to the fire
The problem is the apathetic attitude of the residents of the nearby

Neknampur village

who are ‘literally’ adding fuel to the fire says Neeraj Singh, a member of the planning and management team of the group. “Before we started working on reviving the lake, it was a garbage dumping yard for the entire Neknampur village; it still is.
Most people staying nearby are unaware that there is a water body in the neighbourhood,” says Neeraj Singh, a member of the planning and management team of the group.
“When we called the Panchayat heads to apprise them about the issue, they resented saying the fire must have started accidentally,” says Madhulika adding, “We are sure that the fire was caused by the garbage that was burned as that’s easier than transporting it.”

Mindless development killed the lake
Members of the eco-group are saddened as they have an emotional connection with the lake. After having worked to restore the eco-system on its banks since July, 2016, such instances would but obviously make them feel disheartened.
Unregulated development is what caused the deterioration of the lake, which used to be a fresh water source until recently, says

Sitaram Das

, President of the Welfare Association of the area. “Till 2002, this was a fresh water lake. The locals would visit this place for a breather. But as real estate began to develop around the lake, it was converted into a dumpyard, filled with sewage and water hyacinth,” explains Sitaram, adding, “After 6 pm one cannot even stand outside as mosquitoes start biting. Cases of dengue and chicken guinea have increased too.”
It was in July last year that volunteers of Dhruvansh undertook restoration of the lake. “Along with the support of about 200 denizens we cleaned the bund near the water body. With the help of students from 11 schools and two colleges near by we planted 3000 saplings of 12 different varieties on the bund of the lake. And soon, the environment around the lake began to improve,” says Madhulika.
Thanks to the tree plantation drive and the fencing on one side of the shoreline, an array of bird species like the rare Eurasian wryneck, sparrows, herons, egret, ibis, owl and snakes have returned to the lake.

Haggling with the authorities is a full-time job
With the aim to protect the biodiversity around the lake, the activists have been requesting the authorities to mark the area around the Neknampur lake as a biodiversity and archeological heritage site. Suggestions to erect fences circling the area to thwart encroachment were also proposed, but all in vain. “We started using lake water to water the saplings. But with summer approaching we are desperate for support to water and protect saplings and lake. Only the

HMDA

Commissioner responds to us. While the Lake Authority promises us a lot of things, the GHMC is the hardest to reach. The biggest challenge is to constantly run after them and get them to deliver on their promises,” laments Madhulika, adding, “People have started stealing our saplings. Sometimes, villagers also end up burning our saplings along with dry grass. Trucks plying on the bund crushed many pythons and monitor lizards, which are protected species.”
The authorities, on the other hand, seem to be only too happy to pass the buck.
HMDA Commissioner T Chiranjeevulu confirmed being aware of the restoration efforts undertaken. “In the past we have extended our support by providing

Dredge Utility Craft

(DUC) machines to them. So far, we haven’t received any formal request from the NGO asking for help. And if we do, we are ready to help them,” he said.

Remedies suggested to prevent pollution

• Besides Dredge Utility Craft (DUC) machines and labourers, `24 lakh is required to clean the water hyacinth from 80 acres of the water body. The NGO’s proposal is yet to be accepted.
• A proposal of converting water hyacinth into handicrafts.
• A proposal for an awareness campaign on Lakes has been submitted to the Government. But hopes of the green warriors ride law as Even the

  Kakatiya Mission

  has no provisions for awareness campaign
• It may help to declare this lake as Biodiversity Heritage site. but the first hurdle is that not a single old map is available of this lake, Neither in State Archives nor in Salarjung Museum, rue activists
• Lake needs proper fencing as encroachment and covering the lake with cement debris is going on
• dumping of Garbage is the biggest threat to the lake and needs to be tackled immediately

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