Lucknow Water Crisis Looms as Lake Desilting Stalled
Lucknow faces an impending water crisis as the much-needed desilting of Kathauta Lake remains stalled due to a funding deadlock. This crucial water source, which serves as a backup during disruptions in irrigation supply, is at risk of significantly losing its capacity to store water, potentially affecting the daily supply for over five lakh residents in areas like Gomti Nagar and Chinhat. Despite the project being tendered by Lucknow Jal Nigam in 2024, the absence of financial clearance has delayed the desilting process, worsening the situation ahead of the hot summer months.
Kathauta Lake, a key water reservoir for the city, has not been cleaned since 2017. That year, over 20,000 cubic metres of silt were removed, but the process was limited to the lake’s edges and did not address the entire water body. With approximately five lakh cubic metres of silt now accumulated, the lake’s water holding capacity has diminished sharply, reducing its usual storage from 1,230 million litres to a mere 500 million litres. As a result, the backup supply has fallen from a reliable 30 days to just 15 days.
This delay is set to disrupt the water supply to crucial residential sectors, including Mulayam Nagar, Sector A, Sector D, and parts of Indira Nagar, as well as large parts of Gomti Nagar. The risk of water shortages is heightened as the summer season approaches, with residents already expressing concerns about the worsening situation.
A meeting held in 2023 between the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC), Jal Nigam, and Jalkal department had decided that Jal Nigam would oversee the desilting process, with funding to be allocated via the 15th Finance Commission. However, the lack of financial clearance has hindered progress. Jal Nigam officials confirmed that while the tender process has been completed, the absence of the required funds has left the project in limbo.
Superintendent Engineer Sameen Akhtar from Jal Nigam explained that even if funds are released immediately, the desilting work would take at least two months to complete. Moreover, with the monsoon approaching, time is running out, as the desilting process must be completed before the rains begin.
The Jalkal department, responsible for water supply, has distanced itself from the issue, stating that the responsibility lies with Jal Nigam, while LMC faces budget constraints. Despite municipal commissioner Inderjit Singh visiting Kathauta Lake to assess the situation in February, the funding issue remains unresolved, leaving residents anxiously awaiting a solution.
With the summer months just around the corner, residents fear that unless swift action is taken to resolve the financial bottleneck, they may face serious water shortages in the coming months, exacerbating the difficulties of the already struggling population.
