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SGNP begins work on plan to increase lake level

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File pics of the wildlife and greenery inside SGNP in Borivli (E)
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If everything goes as per the plan of Sanjay Gandhi National Park authorities, Mumbaikars' water woes will not be as serious as they have been every year until now. The officials have a Watershed Management Plan in mind which will ensure that the city has stock for an extra month, apart from conserving environment within the national park boundary.

This means the shortage felt just days before the onset of monsoon will not be as bad as it has been till date, wherein the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) mulls over cloud seeding option.

"Water expert Vijay Paranjpe from Pune has been roped in for the project; we plan to stop soil erosion, among other things. This will ensure that the holding capacity of Tulsi lake (inside SGNP) does not reduce at an alarming rate," said Vikas Gupta, director and chief conservator of forest, SGNP.

Be it plantation or other methods, once the soil erosion is stopped from the hills of SGNP, the next phase will involve desilting, resulting in millions of litres of additional water in Tulsi lake. The lake is one of the water bodies supplying potable water to Mumbaikars through the BMC.

"On the project's completion, Mumbaikars will be the biggest beneficiaries as the water stock, or levels, will increase for another month, ie till monsoon arrives," added Gupta.

The other aspect of the project is protection of environment and the hills of SGNP so that the forest cover remains healthy. However, this project is in the initial stages, Paranjpe is currently studying the topography and various other elements of the park.

As per the initial workings of the authorities, the forest department will take care of the project expenditure, BMC won't need to contribute.

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