National Green Tribunal Mandates Nagpur Civic Body to Present Futala Lake Restoration Strategy
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a directive to the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), compelling the civic body to submit a comprehensive and structured cleaning and revival plan specifically for Futala lake. This order comes in response to alarming reports of deteriorating water quality in Nagpur's major lakes and a sharp increase in waterweed proliferation.
Water Quality Deterioration and Weed Growth Confirmed in Legislative Council
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, while responding to a starred question in the state legislative council on Monday, confirmed the troubling environmental developments. He acknowledged that waterweed growth has risen significantly in Ambazari lake and that water quality has declined to some extent across prominent lakes throughout Nagpur.
Shinde stated that the NMC has been continuously conducting weed removal operations. However, recognizing the need for a more permanent solution, the civic body is now actively seeking technical support and expertise from the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (Neeri) based in Nagpur.
NGT Hearing and Specific Directives for Futala Lake
The NGT's directive was issued during a hearing held on February 3, 2026. The tribunal explicitly instructed the Nagpur Municipal Corporation to place a detailed restoration and cleaning blueprint on official record for Futala lake. This move underscores the judicial body's focus on accountability and structured environmental remediation.
It is important to note that NMC has already completed the initial phase of a beautification project at Futala lake. This phase included critical work such as deepening the lake bed, installing recharge shafts, and executing boundary and greening enhancements around the water body.
Addressing Sewage and Pollution Sources
To tackle the persistent sewage problem affecting Futala lake, a dedicated pipeline is currently being laid in the Kashmiri Basti area. This infrastructure project is designed to prevent drainage overflow from entering the lake, a key step in source control.
On the contentious issue of industrial pollution, Deputy CM Shinde provided clarification. He stated that industrial effluents are not being directly discharged into the lakes. Nevertheless, authorities are taking action against sewage violations originating from residential areas located within MIDC (Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation) zones that drain into these water bodies.
The Nagpur Municipal Corporation's nuisance detection squad is empowered to impose penalties on individuals or entities found dumping waste into the lakes. Furthermore, prohibition orders are strictly enforced to prevent such illegal dumping activities.
Sewage Treatment Capacity and Legislative Scrutiny
The combined sewage treatment capacity managed by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation and the Nagpur Improvement Trust currently stands at 423.5 million litres per day (MLD). NMC operates plants with a capacity of 360 MLD, while NIT contributes an additional 63.5 MLD. Government officials informed the council that this existing capacity is being utilized to reduce the volume of untreated sewage reaching the city's lakes.
This official reply was provided in response to a starred question raised by Members of the Legislative Council (MLCs) Parinay Fuke, Pravin Darekar, Uma Khapre, and Sadashiv Khot. The legislators had flagged the growing pollution crisis in Ambazari, Futala, and Sonegaon lakes. They critically questioned the effectiveness of spending crores of rupees on beautification projects while core pollution problems remained largely unaddressed.
The Nagpur Municipal Corporation is now expected to prepare and present the mandated Futala lake restoration plan before the National Green Tribunal at its next scheduled hearing, marking a crucial step in the city's efforts to revive its vital water bodies.
