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Sewage in Powai lake: Cops, govt wake up while BMC enjoys sound sleep

Even as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) ignores the complaints about sewage water entering the Powai lake and damaging its ecology, the Powai police have agreed to file an FIR in this regard.

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Even as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) ignores the complaints about sewage water entering the Powai lake and damaging its ecology, the Powai police have agreed to file an FIR in this regard. Not only that, the Central government's National River Conservation Directorate has asked the civic body to launch an investigation into the matter.

According to Sunish Subramanian, secretary of NGO PAWS-Mumbai, who has been raking up the issue of Powai lake degradation for a decade now, he had written a letter to Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), BMC and the Powai police station, stating that an FIR should be filed under the Environment (Protection) Act against people responsible for releasing sewage water into the lake.

"We received a letter from Powai senior police inspector dated July 30, informing that they have sent a letter to the hydraulic engineers to send a representative to file an FIR in the matter," said Subramanian. He added that the BMC has constructed floodgates to ensure that the sewage does not enter the lake, but to no use. Not only is the e-coli level high in the lake, but it is also suffering from algal bloom.

Subramanian said even the National River Conservation Directorate under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC), has written to the additional municipal commissioner (in-charge project) and environment secretary, asking them to investigate the matter in detail and send a copy of action taken report to them on a priority basis. "Everyone is taking the issue seriously but BMC. It is rainy season now and the civic body should initiate steps to stop sewage water from entering the lake completely, and set up a committee to revive the water body," he said.

An activist who has been following the developments in the matter closely said unless people approached court, nothing will happen. "In the name of beautification, the BMC has destroyed this lake as well as the crocodile habitat. There is a continuous flow of sewage in the lake. If one complains to the BMC, they are made to run from pillar to post as there is no clarity on which department is responsible for the lake," he said.

BMC officials have claimed they are yet to see the Powai police letter.

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