Nagpur: The iconic Futala Lake continues to grapple with multiple sources of pollution despite a multi-crore restoration project and efforts to revive its musical fountain. A TOI visit found garbage strewn along the lakefront, exposing gaps in solid waste management despite regular civic cleaning.Officials from Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s Dharampeth Zone said the sewer line that earlier discharged into Futala has been disconnected. However, experts said diverting a single sewer outlet would not restore the lake’s ecological health.“Pollution continues through surface runoff carrying household waste, cattle dung and other contaminants from the adjoining settlement. During the monsoon, this runoff flows directly into the lake, increasing the organic load and accelerating eutrophication,” environmentalist Leena Buddhe said.Experts also blamed runoff from the nearby experimental farms of Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, saying rainwater carrying fertilisers fuels excessive algal growth. The algae had earlier damaged the fountain’s underwater electrical systems.Another concern is the degradation of Futala’s catchment. Locals and environmentalists said construction debris and earth dumped across parts of the nearly 35-hectare catchment near Starkey Point have disrupted natural drainage channels that once carried clean rainwater into the lake. Instead of filtering runoff, the disturbed catchment now carries silt and pollutants into the waterbody.“The catchment is the lake’s lifeline. If debris dumping continues and natural drainage channels remain blocked, both the quality and quantity of water reaching Futala will deteriorate,” said resident Mahesh Uikey.Residents of the slum along the lake’s southern edge dump household waste into the waterbody and allow buffaloes to wade into the lake, with cattle waste washing in through surface runoff.A senior NMC Dharampeth Zone official said the civic body has constructed a retaining wall along Kashmiri Basti to prevent direct dumping of waste into the lake. “We have also strengthened door-to-door garbage collection in the locality. However, despite repeated appeals, some residents continue to dump waste into the waterbody,” the official admitted.“A world-class fountain cannot survive in a polluted lake. Unless Futala’s ecosystem is restored, the revived fountain could suffer the same fate,“ Buddhe said.Environmentalists said the situation highlights the need to move beyond beautification and focus on ecological restoration. They called for protection of the catchment, removal of debris, interception of all pollution sources and stronger waste management around the lake.
