ONCE upon a time, long long ago, Powai Lake used to supply water to what was then Bombay city. Much has changed since then: the municipality switched loyalties from Powai to Tansa Lake for water supply; Bombay is now Mumbai, Powai Lake became the first refuge of weary families and picnickers and then, of dead crocodiles and tons of sewage from neighbouring urban dwellings. But a concerted citizens’ initiative has ensured that the lake limps back to its glory.

A bit of history is in order here: Powai Lake was built by the British at an initial cost of Rs 6.5 lakh in 1890. It was named after Framaji Kavasji Powai Estate, which was given to one Dr Scott in 1799 on payment of yearly rent of Rs 3,200. After Dr Scott’s death in 1816, Powai was taken back by the government in 1826 and leased once again to Framaji Kavasji, a Parsi merchant.

At the time, Powai lake supplied two million gallons of water to Bombay. However, after Tansa Lake became a more viable option, in 1892, Powai was turned over to the picnickers.

As Powai expanded to welcome 1.5 lakh additional residents in its fold over the last ten years, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) did not develop any new sewage system for the north-eastern suburb. Thus, sewage from newly developed areas, including the reputed Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and the swanky Hiranandani Gardens complex nearby, would flow directly into the lake.

The 111-year-old artificially created water body would have died a natural death had it not been for the Save Powai Lake Abhiyan, set up around four years ago by citizens and steered into the limelight by local Member of Parliament, Kirit Somaiya. The MP is also a member of the Parliamentary Committee that inspected the lake last year.

Last fortnight, the union government sanctioned Rs 6.54 crore for the lake’s clean-up. Even before the money has actually started flowing, symbolic desilting was carried out at Powai Lake on June 5 this year with money from Somaiya’s MP’s Fund. Poclan machines and dumpers cleared off nearly 32,000 square feet area of silt. Of the total surface area of 334 acres of Powai lake, 104 acres has been polluted with silt due to direct flow of sewage into the lake.

‘‘Within the next 18 months, Powai Lake will come alive again,’’ says Somaiya. The lake has also been included along with 20 other lakes by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) and the Centre in the National Lake Conservation Plan (NLCP) for conservation. It’s one of the 11 lakes that will be studied in the first phase of the plan itself.

Already, the MoEF, the State pollution board, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and IIT have drawn up an action programme to revive the lake, which includes stopping further erosion, purifying water, de-silting, beautification, maintenance and corporate participation.

‘‘Powai Lake has been a landmark for Mumbai, and till a decade ago, it was a picnic spot. But due to Powai’s rapid urbanisation, the lake’s natural beauty was damaged as builders started dumping sewage and garbage into it,’’ said environmentalist and Powai resident Debi Goenka.

‘‘We now require a dumping ground to unload nearly 84,000 truckloads of silt from Powai Lake to a convenient place, preferably within five kilometres away,’’ added Somaiya. Complete desilting of a whopping 3.78 lakh cubic metres is to be carried out in the target period of the next 18 months.

Several awareness drives have been organised, school children happily formed human chains on the banks of the lake and the civic authorities were also pulled up for not caring enough. ‘‘It was certainly the voice of the people that made the drive to save the lake very effective. We all now hope to see the day the lake will be restored to its original glory,’’ added Goenka.

But another Powai resident, Rajan Khanna, remains sceptical about the hype surrounding the lake clean-up. ‘‘Just four months ago, we were told that over Rs 10 crore has been sanctioned by the Centre. Why has the amount been reduced by Rs four crore?’’ asked Khanna, who is also a member of the Save Powai Lake Abhiyan. He hopes that whatever money has been procured for the purpose will now be effectively utilised. ‘‘On a positive note, the running of illegal stone quarries in Powai and neighbouring Chandivali have been curbed because of pressure on authorities by locals.

We hope that in the future, Powai maintains the balance between urbanisation and the environment,’’ he added.

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