Published: May 22, 2026 | Category: Nagpur Local | Ambazari Lake NMC cleaning Nagpur | By: Nagpur Updates Desk
Nagpur’s most beloved lake is fighting back.
The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has launched a war-footing campaign to free Ambazari Lake from the stranglehold of water hyacinth — the invasive aquatic weed that has been steadily choking one of Nagpur’s most iconic natural landmarks. For the past one week, advanced harvester machines have been working continuously to remove the thick carpet of hyacinth covering large portions of the lake’s surface.
The seriousness of the effort is visible at the top. Mayor Neeta Thakre, Standing Committee Chairperson Shivani Dani, and NMC Commissioner Dr. Vipin Itankar personally visited Ambazari Lake to inspect the cleaning operations and review progress on the ground.
What Is Water Hyacinth — and Why Is It So Dangerous?
Water hyacinth — known locally as jalkumbhi — is one of the world’s most invasive aquatic plants. It grows at an alarming speed. Under favourable conditions, a single plant can double in two weeks.
At Ambazari Lake, the weed has spread across a significant portion of the water surface — forming a thick, mat-like layer that causes serious ecological damage:
- Blocks sunlight from reaching underwater plants and algae
- Depletes oxygen levels in the water — suffocating fish and aquatic life
- Traps debris and accelerates sedimentation
- Encourages mosquito breeding — creating public health risks for nearby residents
- Ruins the aesthetic of one of Nagpur’s most visited recreational spots
The weed thrives in polluted, nutrient-rich water — and Ambazari Lake has been receiving untreated sewage from the Wadi Municipal Council area for years. This sewage inflow has been the primary driver of the hyacinth’s explosive growth.
The Current Drive: Harvesters and Poclain Machines
This week’s campaign represents the most intensive mechanised effort yet to address the Ambazari hyacinth problem.
NMC has deployed advanced harvester machines — specialised aquatic weed cutters that can remove large quantities of hyacinth from the water surface efficiently. These machines work directly on the water. They cut, collect, and transfer the weed to dump trucks waiting on the banks — a process that is far faster than manual removal.
Poclain machines are also being used on the lake’s banks to handle the removed weed and assist with associated clearing work.
The drive has been underway for a full week. Officials are targeting completion before the onset of the monsoon — a critical deadline. Once heavy rains begin, the nutrient load in the lake increases further, creating ideal conditions for hyacinth to regrow rapidly.
Commissioner Dr. Vipin Itankar has issued strict directives to utilise all machines to full capacity — and to deploy additional machinery if required to maintain the pace of work.
Mayor Thakre Inspects: Serious Concern, Clear Instructions
Mayor Neeta Thakre expressed serious concern during her inspection about the extent of water pollution and environmental damage being caused by the thick hyacinth layer.
She directed the civic administration to intensify the cleaning campaign by deploying additional machinery and manpower to ensure the lake is cleared before the monsoon. She was firm: the ecological balance and historical significance of Ambazari Lake must be protected.
Her instructions were direct. More machines if needed. More workers. Faster pace. The lake must be hyacinth-free before the rains arrive.
This is not the first time Mayor Thakre has personally intervened on Ambazari. She inspected the lake in February and March 2026 as well — each time issuing strict instructions and directing a more intensive cleaning response. Her continued personal involvement reflects the civic and political importance of Ambazari Lake to Nagpur’s identity.
Just as she previously intervened on facilities at the Morbhavan Bus Stand in the summer heat, the Mayor’s Ambazari inspection demonstrates a hands-on style of civic leadership that holds officials accountable through direct field visits.
The Root Cause: Wadi Sewage and the STP Solution
Removing hyacinth from the lake’s surface is only half the battle. The real challenge is preventing it from growing back — which requires addressing the root cause.
The root cause is clear: untreated sewage from the Wadi Municipal Council area flows into Ambazari Lake. This sewage is rich in nitrogen and phosphorus — exactly the nutrients that water hyacinth needs to thrive. As long as this inflow continues, the weed will keep returning — no matter how many times NMC deploys harvesters.
NMC has taken a short-term step to address this: the construction of a temporary earthen bund near the sewage inflow point into the lake. This bund acts as a barrier — reducing, though not eliminating, the flow of untreated sewage into the lake. It is an interim measure, not a permanent solution.
The permanent solution — a Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) for the Wadi Municipal Council — is expected to be completed this year. Commissioner Dr. Itankar confirmed that once the Wadi STP is operational, treated sewage water will flow into Ambazari Lake instead of raw, untreated wastewater. This will dramatically reduce the nutrient load in the lake — and with it, the conditions that allow water hyacinth to grow so rapidly.
The commissioning of the Wadi STP will be a defining moment for Ambazari Lake’s long-term ecological recovery. It is a development Nagpur Updates will be tracking closely.
NMC Plans a Bigger Machine
Commissioner Itankar also announced that NMC is planning to procure a larger, more powerful harvester machine specifically designed for large-scale water hyacinth removal. The current machines are effective — but a larger dedicated unit would allow NMC to conduct more intensive, faster campaigns whenever the weed resurfaces.
This procurement, once completed, will give NMC a permanent, dedicated tool to manage Ambazari Lake’s hyacinth problem — rather than relying on hired machinery for each campaign. It is the kind of long-term infrastructure investment that the lake’s management needs.
Citizens, Corporators and Officials — All on the Same Side
During the inspection, local corporators Yogesh Pachpore, Vijay Hole, and Varsha Chaudhary were present alongside senior officials including Superintendent Engineer Dr. Shweta Banerjee and Assistant Commissioner Rajkumar Meshram.
The presence of elected representatives alongside senior bureaucrats signals strong political ownership of the Ambazari cleanup. It also reflects the broader public pressure that Nagpur’s citizens have consistently maintained on the issue of Ambazari Lake’s deteriorating condition.
Nagpur has a long history of citizen engagement with Ambazari. Previous campaigns — including ones where 600 citizens and 550 NMC employees formed human chains to physically remove the weed — show how deeply the city cares about this lake. The current mechanised campaign builds on that civic spirit with better tools and stronger institutional commitment.
Race Against the Monsoon
Time is now the critical factor.
Nagpur’s monsoon typically arrives in the third week of June. That gives NMC approximately four to five weeks to complete the hyacinth removal from Ambazari Lake. Every day counts.
The combination of harvester machines, Poclain equipment, and the temporary sewage bund gives this campaign a fighting chance. If the work is completed on schedule, Nagpur residents can look forward to a cleaner, healthier Ambazari Lake during the monsoon — when the lake fills up and thousands of visitors flock to its banks.
Nagpur Updates will continue to track the progress of the Ambazari Lake cleaning drive and report on the commissioning of the Wadi STP — the development that will determine whether this beautiful lake finally gets the permanent relief it deserves.
Tags: Ambazari Lake, Water Hyacinth, NMC Nagpur, Mayor Neeta Thakre, Dr Vipin Itankar, Lake Cleaning Nagpur, Nagpur Environment, Monsoon Nagpur 2026, Nagpur Local News
