RAIPUR: Lakes and ponds in Chhattisgarh‘s capital are in a sorry state of affairs, with illegal construction, encroachment, and unhygienic environments calling for immediate intervention from the authorities.
One such lake, Sheetla Talab, which is a significant water body situated in the residential area of Avanti Vihar Sector-2 of Raipur, is facing threats from illegal constructions on its banks. These encroachments not only affect the lake’s ecological balance but also its cultural importance.
The local corporator, Pramod Mishra, asserts that any construction impacting the water body is illegal according to Supreme Court guidelines and will be removed. RMC claimed that it had stopped the construction work at the site but the construction seemed to continue at the spot despite the claims and assurances.
The Paryavaran Mitr Avanti Vihar, a group of residents that recently contributed to cleaning the lake, also view the encroachments as detrimental to the lake’s ecosystem.
Padmakar Srivas, the executive engineer of Raipur municipal corporation (RMC) Zone-9, stated, “We had got information about encroachments on the banks of the lake. Construction was going on illegally and we had stopped the construction work. Today we came to know that construction work has been resumed again and it was put on hold.” The lake spans an area of approximately 1.214 hectares, the EE said.
Corporator Pramod Mishra emphasized that encroachments on water bodies cannot be tolerated under any circumstances, citing a Supreme Court guideline.
He mentioned a pending Rs 18 crore project for the development of the lake, park, and VIP Chowk, which is awaiting approval from the central govt. “We are optimistic about the approval of the project. Once the work starts, encroachments from the lake and its banks will be removed,” Mishra added.
Dr. K K Sahu, the president of Paryavaran Mitr Avanti Vihar and a scientist, expressed the organisation’s commitment to conserving the water body with the support of the RMC. “We, being the residents of Avanti Vihar, would like to see plantation being done around the lake and an eco-friendly environment. Encroachments at water bodies is a crime. We had organised a Gayatri Yagya at the lake,” Dr. Sahu said.
He also highlighted the lake’s role in urban water management, maintaining groundwater levels, and supporting local biodiversity, despite being primarily a community lake. Conservation efforts are underway to preserve the natural beauty and significance of the lake, said Dr. Sahu.
Meanwhile, despite an assurance from the RMC Zone-9 officer on Monday that steps would be taken to stop the construction, work continued on Tuesday morning.
