Rs105-Crore Wadi STP Nears Finish, But Will Ambazari Lake Still Receive Sewage? A ₹105-crore sewerage project aimed at preventing untreated wastewater from the Wadi area from entering Ambazari Lake is nearing completion, offering renewed hope for the restoration of the city’s critically threatened water body. However, experts warn that the project may only address part of the problem, as significant challenges persist beyond the Wadi region. The Wadi Underground Sewerage Scheme, launched in 2023, was initially scheduled to be completed by 2025 but has now progressed to the final stages of its key component: an 11 million liters per day (MLD) Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) utilizing Sequential Batch Reactor (SBR) technology. This facility, once operational, will treat wastewater from Wadi before it enters the Ambazari lake system. A senior official noted that the current sewage generation within Wadi municipal limits is approximately 7.2 MLD, and the STP’s design includes sufficient spare capacity to accommodate future growth. The project encompasses a 62.6-km underground sewer network, 2,107 manholes, and nearly 12,935 household connections. Treated water will meet standards set by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and the National Green Tribunal (NGT). However, concerns remain about the broader catchment area of Ambazari Lake, which falls within the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) limits. Numerous residential layouts, housing societies, and apartment complexes have emerged in the Ambazari catchment area, many of which lack adequate sewerage infrastructure. This has led to the continued discharge of untreated sewage into the lake system, even after the Wadi project becomes operational.#nagpur_municipal_corporation #maharashtra_pollution_control_board #ambazari_lake #national_green_tribunal #wadi_underground_sewerage_scheme
NGT, HC Crack Down on Nullah ‘Cover-Ups’ in Nagpur A day after illegal structures obstructing a natural nullah in East Shankar Nagar came under scrutiny, legal authorities have issued unequivocal directives against covering or building over drains. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) and Bombay High Court (HC) have reinforced that such actions are illegal, placing the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) under pressure to enforce regulations. A senior NMC official confirmed that civic rules explicitly prohibit covering nullahs within city limits, yet ground realities reveal widespread encroachments, with drains narrowed, built over, or reduced to stagnant water. Legal frameworks leave little room for ambiguity. Under the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act and Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act, nullahs are classified as essential public utilities, and any obstruction or construction over them is strictly prohibited. The HC has repeatedly ruled that encroachments on nullahs cannot be regularized, even if permissions were granted, calling such actions an "abuse of power." The NGT has taken a stronger stance, declaring that covering drains or constructing within their bed or buffer zones is "per se illegal," mandating demolition regardless of prior approvals. The Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations (UDCPR) further clarify eco-sensitive flood zones. Areas between the blue flood line (indicative of 25-year flood levels) and the red flood line (100-year flood levels) are designated as restricted or prohibited zones, where construction is heavily regulated or barred. Development within these limits, particularly over natural drains, is largely ineligible for approval.#bombay_high_court #nagpur_municipal_corporation #national_green_tribunal #nullahs
