ગુજરાતી
English
Dilip Patel
Ahmedabad, September 27, 2025
An inspection of eight lakes in Ahmedabad reveals that the water in these lakes is unsuitable for drinking, bathing, or other purposes. Eight lakes, including Naroda, Gota, Malekasaban, and R.C. Technical, are filled to the brim with sewage. They were supposed to be filled with water from the Narmada Canal and rainwater, but were not. Indeed, even if rainwater from the roads is collected, it is still highly polluted. There are 108 such dirty water lakes in Ahmedabad.
The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation spends ₹200 crore every five years on the development of 140 lakes. Instead of using the Narmada Canal or rainwater, sewage water is dumped into the lakes. So far, ₹1,000 crore has been spent to fill the lakes with rainwater during the monsoon. However, most lakes remain filled with sewage.
Water tests were conducted on eight lakes. Of these, Sola FP 108 and R.C. Technical lakes are the most polluted. The lakes in Malekasaban and Saijpur villages are fatal to fish and other aquatic life due to severe oxygen depletion. In Naroda Lake, moderate pollution is at a moderate level, but high levels make it unsafe.
The water is highly polluted. Dissolved oxygen levels are extremely low, while BOD and COD values are extremely high. The most polluted lakes include Sola and R.C. Technical lakes. Sola FP-108 lake has a BOD of 112 and a COD of 214.
R.C. Technical lake also has a BOD of 86 and a COD of 108.6. The lakes in Malekasaban and Saijpur villages have extremely low oxygen levels, which can be fatal to aquatic life, including fish. According to experts, due to this pollution, the lake water is unsuitable for drinking, bathing, or other activities.
In the long run, the lake could become completely unsuitable for aquatic life. They warn that if the continuous flow of dirty water into the lakes is not stopped, the situation could become even more serious.
A plan was initiated by AUDA and AMC to fill the lakes with rainwater using stormwater lines, but it has failed.
Out of the city’s seven zones, not a single lake has been developed in the South Zone in 15 years.
Expenditures
Expenditures on lakes over 15 years until 2024 (in crores)
Charodi 5.26
Ratanpura (Vastra) 8.18
Dashamata (Vastra) 12.00
Odhav 5.04
Lamba 4.21
Vatva 10.00
Gota 5.09
Sola 4.94
Thaltej 4.79
Shilaj 5.25
Vivekanand 1.11
Shakari, Sarkhej 19.23
Auqaf 13.23
Misappearances
Expenditures are being incurred on lake development projects other than walkways, gardens, sports equipment, and utility facilities. No work has been done on Kariya Lake in Naroda Ward.
The state government has initiated a lake beautification project for the state’s older and larger lakes, but the government’s project has failed in Charodi.
DP Karia
Naroda’s DP Karia Lake, built 10 years ago at a massive cost of 25 crore rupees, is now deserted. Despite a daily entry permit for 200 people, not even 50 people visit. Drainage lines are dumped into the lake. Mini Kankaria, with its beautiful Naroda Lake surrounded by heaps of garbage, is under pressure. The lake was developed on a public-private partnership basis so that residents of areas including Naroda, Bapunagar, Nikol, and Vastral would not have to travel long distances to reach Kankaria. However, the lake was in a dilapidated state. Entry charges were 5 rupees. The rides were closed.
Chandkheda is the most polluted. Mosquitoes have been seen due to the filth in the lake, and cases of dengue and malaria have also been reported in the surrounding societies and flats.
Chandola
Chandola Lake is fed by the Kharikat Canal. However, the canal is polluted. Tenders have been awarded to clean the garbage. A massive campaign was launched on April 29, 2025, to evict illegal Bangladeshis from Chandola. However, nothing was done to address the pollution. A consultant was given ₹5 crore for the cleaning and DPR of Chandola Lake.
Chharodi – Amit Shah’s Failure
350 million liters of Narmada water was poured into the 65,078-square-meter Charodi Lake at the Vaishnodevi Circle on the SG Highway to make it appear full. Built at a cost of ₹5.26 crore, Charodi Lake near Gota was inaugurated on May 31, 2023, by Member of Parliament and Home Minister of India Amit Shah. Within 8 months, Ahmedabad’s Charodi Lake became a dry furnace. It was desolate and useless. It has a capacity to store 167.60 million liters of water. It was landscaped with trees, and a 716-meter-long walkway was built around it, but it fell into disrepair.
This 1600 mm diameter lake has been connected to allow rainwater harvesting.
Several lakes in Ahmedabad are being connected. As part of this initiative, the lake in Charodi village has been connected to another lake, ensuring year-round water supply.
Ghatlodia – Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel’s constituency
Rs 4.80 crore was to be spent in 2023 for the development of the lake in Thaltej village. Union Home Minister Amit Shah laid the foundation stone on May 31, 2023. The lake was developed over a total area of 33,000 square meters, including a water body area of 19,617 square meters. It includes a 480-meter-long and 3.5-meter-wide walkway, LED lighting, a 355-meter-long RCC retaining wall, and a 1.5-meter-deep excavation to store water. The surrounding 5,800 square meters of land was to be greened. 380
There was a children’s playground of 1,340 square meters. State-of-the-art sports equipment. Parking space was 1,340 square meters.
There was space.
Forest Created
The contract for building Namo Forest at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Lake in Bapunagar was awarded to Asopalav Garden Consultant at a cost of ₹3 crore.
Notice Issued
Factories polluting Ahmedabad’s lakes were fined. Tap, water, and drainage connections to residential units or construction sites were disconnected.
Water, air, and soil pollution in eastern Ahmedabad, troubling 2.5 million people.
Discrimination
Almost all the lakes in the western region have been developed at a cost of crores of rupees.
Grazing lands in Ahmedabad’s flood-prone areas have been encroached upon. Buildings have been constructed. Lakes have also been filled in. Work is progressing at a slower pace in the eastern region.
Ramol
Out of the nine lakes in Ramol, not a single lake has been developed as of 2021. In Khanwadi, the lakes near Rashtra Bharti School in the CTM area were only on record. These lakes have been filled in. Wastewater from factories and industries is being dumped into the existing lakes.
The lake in Nikol village, the lake in Lambha, and the lake on the Ring Road near the Metro station in Vastral have been developed.
The lake in Odhav village has also been redeveloped.
The lakes in Vatva village have not been developed. The lake near Deriya Mahalaxmi Corner in Vatva has been filled in. Two lakes in Memadpura, Bibipura, Gatral, and Geratpur villages have not been developed.
The lake in Ropar village on the Ring Road is awaiting development. The Mahadevpura lake in Vatva, the Motal lake in Hathijan, the lake near Gebiwad, and the lake in Vadodara have not been developed.
Hathijan and Vinjol have not been developed.
Sabarmati River Polluted
If the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) in a river exceeds 3 milligrams per liter, that river is considered polluted.
According to the 2023 report of the Central Pollution Control Board, the Sabarmati River, which flows through Ahmedabad, is the second most polluted river in India. It is the most polluted river in Gujarat.
Despite spending crores of rupees on purification, 13 rivers in Gujarat remain polluted. The Sabarmati River is in the top category of polluted rivers.
From Raisan in Gandhinagar to Vautha in Ahmedabad district, the Sabarmati’s water has been found to have a BOD of 292 milligrams. The most polluted river in India is the Kaum in Tamil Nadu, with a BOD of 345 milligrams per liter.
Further, the rivers Amalkhadi, Bhadar, Dhadar, Khari, Vishwamitri, Mindhola, Mahi, Shedhi, Bhogavo, Khuki Khadi, Damanganga, and Tapi are included.
Court guidelines are not being followed. Dirty and chemical-laden water from factories and industries has polluted the rivers. Even vegetables grown on the river beds have become dangerous.
The Center allocated ₹1,875 crore to make the Sabarmati, Tapi, and Mindhola rivers pollution-free. Of this, ₹559 crore was paid in the last 5 years.
Corrupt officials of the Gujarat Pollution Control Board are only interested in collecting installments from industries, factories, and plant owners. As a result, untreated water is being released into lakes and rivers. (Google translation from Gujarati)
