Bhopal News: MP Alok Sharma Seeks Fresh Master Plan To Protect Upper Lake | Representative Image
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Member of Parliament Alok Sharma on Monday convened a meeting at the Collectorate to review removal of encroachments and measures to curb pollution in Upper Lake.
During the meeting, Collector Kaushalendra Singh sought updates from SDMs on pending encroachments. Officers, however, failed to specify extent of remaining encroachments, stating proper demarcation as per Town & Country Planning (T&CP) maps could not be completed.
Sharma said that Upper Lake, an iconic water heritage site of Bhopal, must be protected from pollution and land mafia. He called for a fresh survey and preparation of a new master plan to safeguard lake’s area, depth and catchment.
MP Sharma emphasised strict compliance with directives of National Green Tribunal and formation of a dedicated monitoring team to prevent future encroachments. Illegal constructions, sewage inflow and land misuse around lake will not be tolerated, he said, reiterating that a comprehensive master plan is essential to preserve Bhopal’s ecological heritage.
Pollution, shrinking spread raise concern
MP Sharma said full reservoir area of lake once measured nearly 39.8 sq km, but has reportedly shrunk significantly over past three decades due to encroachments and environmental degradation.
He sought clarity from Municipal Corporation on number of sewage treatment plants (STPs) constructed to stop dirty drains from entering the lake and asked how many drains are still discharging untreated sewage. Sharma also flagged illegal farmhouses along lake periphery, alleging misuse of such properties and demanding strict legal action against violators.
One-week deadline to clear major encroachments
Collector Singh directed all SDMs to remove major prima facie encroachments within a week and announced weekly review meetings to track progress.
MP Sharma questioned incomplete removal of 26 huts near Bhadbhada dam at Prempura, despite earlier action against 227 encroachments. He demanded reports prepared by CEPT University, KPMG and Kumar Associates on lake demarcation be made public. A fresh survey must be conducted, he said, as earlier boundary markers were uprooted.
