Reservoirs dry up, Indore stares at water crisis
With rising temperature, most of the urban water bodies in Indore are evaporating at a fast rate – almost one inch every day.
With rising temperature, most of the urban water bodies in Indore are evaporating at a fast rate – almost one inch every day.
Limbodi Lake near Ralamandal wildlife sanctuary and Pipliyahana Lake on Eastern Ring Road have completely dried up.
The situation is grave in other water bodies too.
The water level in Yeshwant Sagar, one of the major sources of water supply to the city, has come down to half mark of the level in monsoon.
Depletion of water levels has also left deep impact on ground water table in the surrounding areas. Many bore wells in the catchment of Pipliyahana Lake have reportedly gone dry.
“With soaring temperatures, water in our lakes is depleting very fast. Lake in Bhanwarsla has almost gone dry. The water level is not very good in Lasudia Mori Lake and other water bodies in the city,” said city-based conservationist Megha Burvey.
The 13-foot-deep Pipliyahana Lake, once a perennial water body spread over 5.02 hectares, has now become a seasonal water body and could only retain water for approximately 4-5 months after monsoons. The lake is mainly fed by rain and storm water.
“It is because of over de-silting of lake surface, the water body does not retain water throughout the year,” she said.
Balram Verma, the in-charge of Indore Municipal Corporation’s water works department said, “The catchment area of water bodies in the city is being reduced due to encroachments. We have asked district administration to carry out survey of water bodies, so that we can fence them and protect them from encroachments.”
Depletion of water in summers is a cause of worry; concern for water bodies can only be brought into people by spreading awareness, he said.
The civic body will allow farmers to dig out mud from the lakes this season. It will deepen the water body and enhance water capacity of lakes, Verma told while talking to Hindustan Times. However, it is essential to monitor mining activities on lake surface, as excessive mining adversely effects the water body.