Life being snuffed out of Lucknow’s lifeline, say experts
Away from the spotlight on the probe into alleged financial irregularities in the multi-crore makeover of its river front, the city’s lifeline is dying a slow and silent death. And the two major reasons for Gomti river’s asphyxia (a condition arising out of lack of oxygen) are an earthen dam and water hyacinth.
While the earthen dam – built two years ago as part of the much-hyped river front beautification and land reclamation project -- has blocked the water flow, the surface has been clogged by a two-km green carpet formed by water hyacinth. With authorities turning a blind eye to the situation, a conscious group of environmentalist, professionals and river scientists have taken up the cudgels to bring back the river from the brink of death.
Every Sunday this spirited motley group of people collects at Kudia Ghat as part of ‘operation clean-up’ and ‘Save River Gomti’ campaign. “Our organization has no logo and our members have no ego when it comes to doing our bit to save the river,” says environment scientist Professor
Thousands of sand bags have been thrown into the river to block its flow. An equal number of gunny bags used in 2006, when work on beautification of Kudia Ghat was undertaken, are still lying on the river bed
Venkatesh Dutta of Baba Sahab Bhim Rao Ambedkar Central University and a member of the team. A signature campaign has also been started and the ‘river crusaders’ intend to hand over a memorandum to chief minister Yogi Adityanath and seek his intervention to get the earthen dam and other obstructions in the river removed.
“Thousands of sand bags have been thrown into the river to block its flow. This is not the first time. An equal number of gunny bags used in 2006, when work on beautification of Kudia Ghat was undertaken, are still lying on the river bed,” says Dutta.
VENKATESH DUTTA, expert
These obstructions, coupled with the jacketing of Gomti’s embankments as part of the channelization, have caused irreversible damage and loss to the river ecology, flora and fauna.
“It (river) has lost its biodiversity and riverine character completely and is reduced to pools and pockets of water,” he points out. Water hyacinths prevent sunlight from reaching aquatic plants and destroy them. As oxygen level in the water body drops, plants and animals suffocate. Some fish species either die or migrate.
“Hyacinth causes changes in water chemistry and there is a dip in oxygen levels,” he said.
The river, he said, has become a victim of greed of some developers and officials and the saddest part of the whole episode was that the damage cannot be undone.
“I was at Khatu Shyam Mandir on the banks of the river the other day. The water was stinking. The intercepting drains are in utter mess,” he said adding that the group members were hopeful that the chief minister would not allow the situation to persist and undertake some immediate remedial measures to save the river.