Maghi ganesh celebrations starting from Thursday, have raised the question of maintenance and conservation of Milapnagar lake in Dombivli east.
Maghi ganeshotsav begin today and the environment conscious residents of Milapnagar, Dombivli are worried once again. They fear, the idol immersion will pollute the dying lake in the vicinity. Hence, the residents have requested the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) for installing an artificial pond for the purpose.
Maghi ganesh celebrations starting from Thursday, have raised the question of maintenance and conservation of Milapnagar lake in Dombivli east. The residents who have been fighting with the authorities to take measures to stop the lake from being extinct, are disturbed about the immersion that will take place on Friday. The residents have written to the KDMC commissioner E Ravindran to take steps towards an environment-friendly ganesh immersion.
Raju Nalawade, president, Milapnagar residents welfare association, wrote, "We request KDMC to clean the lake and also ban immersion of the plaster of paris ganesh idols," adding, "We also request KDMC to create an artificial pond for the immersion of idols, otherwise, it will endanger the flora and fauna in the lake."
Milapnagar lake is more than 100-year-old lake and is the spot for idol immersions during ganeshotsav, and Navratri in Dombivli. The residents found dead fishes floating in the lake post the immersions in September and October, last year.
The locals complained to the KDMC as well as the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB). They had also asked the environmental laboratory at Somaiya college to conduct water tests due to alleged delay from MPCB in doing the same.
The test reports revealed that the level of dissolved oxygen in the lake was zero resulting into the death of the fishes. Living creatures cannot survive with no oxygen in the lake. The samples also revealed the presence of harmful chemicals like lead, chromium and cadmium in the lake, with levels of lead being four times more than the required level.
Nalawade said, "The stagnant water in the lake has now become a source of mosquito infestation. Our local corporator had written to the KDMC about cleaning the lake, two months back, but there was no response."
The association also stated in the letter, if KDMC does not have the time to clean the lake, there are educational and private institutions in the city which are ready to clean the lake, provided the civic body permits it.
A senior official from KDMC said, "As Maghi ganesh does not have many idol immersions, there are no plans to set up an artificial pond," adding that the proposal to clean the lake was in process.
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