PMC spending crores on removing water hyacinth but problem remains

PUNE: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has over the past decade spent nearly Rs20 crores on removing the water hyacinth from the Mula-Mutha river and lakes in its jurisdiction however the hyacinth reappears owing to drainage flowing into these water bodies, forcing the civic body to spend on removing the hyacinth all over again.

So much so that the PMC has not increased its budget to clear hyacinth from Rs2 crores to Rs4.50 crores and its environment department has initiated the tendering process to remove hyacinth following complaints from citizens regarding the mosquito menace.

According to officials, the PMC spends around Rs2 crores for four months every year by outsourcing the work of removing water hyacinth to private contractors. The effect lasts for seven months from December to June. After 2015, the amount increased to Rs1 crore and subsequently gradually increased to Rs2 crores and now has reached Rs4.50 crores per year.

Mangesh Dighe, environment officer, PMC, said, “We have initiated the process of removal of water hyacinth from the Mula-Mutha river. At the same time, the civic body is removing the hyacinth from Katraj, Pashan and Jambhulwadi lakes as well.”

Dighe said that earlier, the drainage department took care of the issue. “From this year, the PMC commissioner has instructed the environment department to handle the issue.”

Shreedhar Yeolekar, executive engineer, Sewerage and Maintenance and Repair department, said, “From the last three years, our department was handling the charge. Before that, the health department had floated a tender. In the last three years, we spent around Rs2 crores annually.

Every year, residents living near these water bodies face problems of mosquitoes and bad odour especially during the summer season. The decomposition of the dead plants as a result of the water hyacinth leads to bad odour and increased pollutants in the water bodies along with depletion of the dissolved oxygen in the water, making it unsuitable for human use.

Kalpana Baliwant, assistant health officer, PMC, said, “Till 2018, we were spending Rs2 crores to remove the water hyacinth with the help of the vehicle department which provided machinery to remove the hyacinth. The health department provided the manpower.”

Many locations in the Mula-Mutha river, too, turn into hyacinth spots every year. Earlier, the PMC was using earth moving machines to remove the hyacinth from the Mula-Mutha river. Since the past few months however, the PMC has been using spider machines. These machines are mounted on trucks and revolve 360 degrees to pick up the hyacinth from the water surface.

Sudhir Kulkarni, civic activist, said that the PMC doesn’t have a foolproof plan to clear the hyacinth. Every year, people register complaints and the PMC begins work. It is a long pending problem. “

“At present, the PMC is wasting crores of taxpayers’ money. Science and technology has solutions to almost every problem. The PMC has a traditional approach. It should consult with the National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) scientists, Pune University professors and request them to suggest some permanent solution. It may take some time. But they will provide some concrete solution which will help save taxpayers’ money and give relief to residents from the hyacinth problem,” Kulkarni said.

Alok Adsul, resident of Vishrant Society, Vishrantwadi, said, “Our society is near the river. We are facing problems of mosquitoes and bad odour. The PMC should find a permanent solution to this problem.”