Lucknow Drafts Urgent Action Plan as Untreated Sewage Pollutes Gomti
With nearly 130 million litres of untreated sewage entering the Gomti River daily, Lucknow’s primary water body continues to battle rising pollution levels. The gravity of the situation has prompted city authorities to chart a comprehensive action plan to bridge the treatment gap and prevent further environmental degradation. In a recent review meeting, senior officials highlighted the urgent need for infrastructure upgrades, drain management, and public sanitation improvements to rescue the city’s lifeline from ecological collapse.
Recent assessments revealed that of the 730 million litres per day (MLD) of sewage generated in Lucknow, only 600 MLD is processed through existing treatment systems, leaving a concerning 130 MLD to flow untreated into the Gomti. City officials identified 32 major sewage drains feeding into the river, but only 26 have been tapped for treatment. The situation has pushed authorities to fast-track measures aimed at plugging untreated inflows. This includes installing grills on all remaining open drains to prevent solid waste and garbage from being flushed into the water body. Additionally, the newly operational GS Canal Sewage Treatment Plant is expected to help manage excess waste, easing pressure on older infrastructure. As per environmental experts, untreated sewage contributes heavily to the deterioration of urban rivers, affecting aquatic biodiversity, human health, and groundwater quality. Lucknow’s situation mirrors a broader trend of declining river health across urban India, calling for sustained, data-backed restoration strategies.
Beyond infrastructure repair, senior administrators have instructed municipal and development authorities to carry out consistent dredging and riverbank restoration work. A recent five-kilometre stretch of the Kukrail river — one of Gomti’s tributaries — has been dredged to improve water flow and reduce sedimentation. Under the “Pavitra Dhara” initiative, plantation drives along the restored banks have been proposed to boost ecological resilience. Experts advocate that such initiatives must go hand in hand with public education on water usage and waste disposal to create long-term behavioural change. In tandem, routine cleaning of the river surface and timely removal of solid waste is being prioritised by the municipal corporation. Authorities believe that without an integrated approach that includes decentralised wastewater management, environmental monitoring, and community participation, efforts to rejuvenate the Gomti may fall short. The current action plan, though ambitious, is viewed as a crucial turning point in preventing irreversible damage to the river.
The Gomti River, long considered the lifeline of Lucknow, faces an ecological tipping point due to unchecked sewage inflows and systemic urban neglect. While recent interventions show renewed administrative intent, experts warn that temporary fixes must evolve into permanent, sustainable solutions. The city’s multi-agency action plan — involving waste diversion, improved sewage treatment, and environmental restoration — signals progress, but its success hinges on rapid execution and cross-departmental accountability. If followed through, Lucknow’s efforts could serve as a model for urban river restoration across India. Otherwise, the Gomti risks becoming a cautionary tale of a river lost to development.
