NASHIK: Over the last few years, the Godavari river basin has been flooded with polluting weeds, and still, no action plan has been chalked out by the Irrigation Department for its removal. The stench of these water hyacinths has spread in the village and endangered the health of the citizens. The Irrigation Department has removed hyacinths from the river basin at Saykheda bridge.
However, in the same place, the weeds have again grown up to engulf the river basin. While the weeds near the bridge at Karanjgaon have also not been removed yet, the citizens have to face the stench, including mosquito infestation. Over the last few years, a large number of weeds are grown in Saykheda, Karanjgaon, and Nandurmadhyameshwar dam areas.
The irrigation department does not take action to remove them, people allege. Earlier, former Sarpanch of Karanjgaon Khandu Bodke had warned of a hunger strike to remove the weeds. Naturally, the Irrigation Department had shown its readiness to remove the hyacinths near the bridge at Saykheda.
But if the entire Godavari basin had been freed from hyacinths by preparing an action plan, the hyacinths would not have reappeared in this place again. The superficial action in the Saykheda river basin, while negligence of the Irrigation Department in the Karanjgaon river basin and Nandurmadhyameshwar dam to remove the weeds, has once again, resulted in the settlement of hyacinths in this area.
Due to these water weeds, the water in the river basin has become polluted and its stench has spread to the nearby villages, endangering the health of the citizens. Also, the mosquito menace has increased due to waterlogging. Even the animals do not drink Godavari water as the water is polluted due to pollutants. The Irrigation Department has been deliberately ignoring the demand for the removal of weeds from the Godavari basin for the last several years.
There is a discussion in the area that sewage of Nashik city is being discharged in the river basin. However, public water supply schemes of many villages are operational on this water of Godavari. It is being demanded that Nashik Municipal Corporation should dispose of wastewater elsewhere without discharging it into the Godavari.
Demand is raised with the Irrigation Department to make the basin pollution-free by removing weeds from Saykheda and Nandurmadhyameshwar dams including Karanjgaon. Earlier, in the second half of March, as soon as the news was published by ‘Deshdoot’, the officials of the Irrigation Department had started removing weeds with the help of boats.
Deputy Engineer of Irrigation Department Nikam, Branch Engineer of Saykheda Khairnar, Branch Engineer of Nandur Madhyameshwar Sharad Nagre along with Sharad Kute and Nandu Nirbhavane had inspected weeds and discussed how to remove these pollutants from roots.
