Home / Environment / Historic Lake Reduced to Cracked Earth
Historic Lake Reduced to Cracked Earth
28 May
Summary
- Silt, encroachments, and neglect have destroyed a historic lake.
- Residents and officials urge immediate action for lake revival.
- Lake's decline impacts groundwater and local biodiversity.
The historic Wadachiwadi lake in Pune has deteriorated significantly due to years of unchecked silt accumulation, encroachments, and poor maintenance. Residents report that the once-thriving water body is now a stretch of cracked earth, leading to concerns about declining groundwater levels and loss of biodiversity in the rapidly urbanizing Mohammadwadi-Undri belt.
Corporator Nivrutti Anna Bandal has formally requested the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) commissioner to prioritize the lake's restoration. Civic chief Naval Kishore Ram has assured that reviving Wadachiwadi lake is a top priority, aiming to make it a model for sustainable urban conservation. Bandal emphasized the need for expert hydrological surveys, silt removal, and strengthening feeder channels to prevent further damage and neglect.
Community groups like the Mohammadwadi Undri Residents Welfare Development Foundation (MURWDF) are urging the PMC and the Maharashtra government to treat the lake's revival as an urgent environmental priority. They highlight the lake's role in groundwater recharge and ecological balance, noting that residents are already facing water shortages. Activists point to the lake's past abundance of water and wildlife, contrasting it with its current state as a symbol of administrative apathy. Urgent, collaborative action between authorities and citizens is deemed essential to protect these vital ecological assets before they are irreversibly damaged.
