Delhi's Bhalswa lake, once famous for water sports, fighting for existence
This lake, in north-west Delhi, was originally shaped liked a horseshoe, spreading over a 59-hectare area, arguably one of the largest water bodies of the city.
Once known for water sports in the National Capital, the Bhalswa lake is now fighting for its existence.
This lake, in north-west Delhi, was originally shaped liked a horseshoe, spreading over a 59-hectare area, arguably one of the largest water bodies of the city. The lake shot to its peak popularity in 1992 when the Union sports ministry started water sports here.
The sports activities had to be stopped because of high pollution levels. In 2015, the government officially issued an order suspending such recreational activities. Today, the size of the lake has been squeezed to just 34 hectares.
A landfill site standing next to the lake has been releasing toxic gases and producing unbearable stench for anyone to venture around. Also, thousands of litres of sewage water, cow dung and other waste generated by the adjoining dairy farms has reduced the lake to a waste dumping site. Locals said that the size and shape of the lake have seen change over the years as major portions of the water body have been consumed and encroachment by slums that have come up in the vicinity.
I remember we used to have canoeing and kayaking at this lake in the early 1990s. But it was stopped after some years. We have been in touch with the Delhi government to start it again. We hope the sports return to the lake as there is no other place in Delhi where we can go canoeing and kayaking, said Vikram Kumar, a member of canoeing and kayaking association Delhi.
In 2017, the Delhi government had drafted a proposal to revive boating, angling, and other recreational activities in the lake but the plan could not take off because of the pollution.
NL Meena, the in-charge of the lake blamed civic agencies for having a proper plan to stop sewerage water and dirt of adjoining locality from mixing with lake water.
Following a series of letters, an oil company has taken the responsibility of cleaning the lake but the actual concern is sewerage pipelines coming from Bhalswa dairy locality. Public Works Department and Delhi Jal Board (DJB) also come forward but they do not have a plan to divert sewerage pipelines and sort out this problem, Meena said.
Local MP Hans Raj Hans has raised the alarming situation of the lake in Lok Sabha but no concrete step is taken yet to clean the water body.
In accordance with the directives of the National Green Tri-From 59 hectares, it is now just 34 hectares bunal (NGT), the DJB in 2018 identified Bhalswa lake as one of the water bodies to be rejuvenated. The agency, whose chairman is the CM, is trying to reduce pollution level in the lake.
Ankit Chauhan, a consultant of DJB, said the lake was the property of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). Still, we have taken no objection certificate from DDA for its restoration. The government has also allocated Rs 390 crore for making a new lake and rejuvenating existing water bodies. Bhalswa Lake is one of them, Chauhan said.
A Delhi government official said that the plan was to revive an old proposal to develop it into an ecotourism spot.
The main hurdle for the government, however, remains the landfill site. Between November 2018 and March 2019, the NDMC initiated various efforts to contain toxicity of the landfill. The civic body had also approved setting up of a bio-methanation plant that would generate energy from the cow dung and waste generated from the dairy farms. All these are in the proposal stage right now, said an official.
It will take time.