Bhopal: Environmentalists, residents and experts from the field have raised eyebrows over the rampant use of pesticides and fertilisers for farming of Water Chestnut or singhara in the upper lake. According to sources, over 10 tonnes of Singhara is grown in area of over 20 acres in the lake in Bairagarh.
GS Kaushal, retired director of agriculture department said that the singhara needs pesticides and fertilisers to grow inside water and this will affect the people who drink it. He said that the civic body should take notice of it if it is really interested in lake conservation.
Local residents have been vocal on the issue and have drawn attention of the district administration over the issue but to no avail. According to corporator Ashok Maran the issue has been brought into the notice of the district administration and the BMC while no action was taken.
Though Bhopal Municipal Council boasts of its measures in lakes conservation but and on the other hand it has been overlooking the deadly practise which affects not just the waterbody but will also the health of citizens. Maran said that the lake conservation cell of the civic body should be held responsible for inaction of the civic body after repeated complaints.
Environmentalist Subhash C Pandey said, “Use of pesticides and fertilisers raises nitrate content in water. It affects the health of people who drink the water.” He said that BMC on one hand is busy digging the upper lake for water restoration and lake conservation and on the other hand they are overlooking the issue. BMC deputy commissioner Harish Gupta said that the civic body will examine the quality of the water, if there are any such complaints.