Commissioned by: Thane Municipal Corporation

Project duration: 2005- 2006

Establishing the context

The strategic location of Thane region and the availability of the major infrastructural facilities within Thane region have made it one of the most industrially advanced districts of the state of Maharashtra. Though there has been immense economic growth little efforts have been made to conserve the rich and natural resources of the region. On the contrary, all the urban expansions and rampant construction activity in the region during the past two decades have had a negative impact on water systems as the site developments have ignored the local environmental and hydrological considerations.

The region receives up to 2000mm of rainfall annually. The total landscape of the region is unique because of its close proximity to the creek, river and the high altitude ranges with many natural and manmade water bodies. Surface depressions were used as a source of water conservation by the ancient civilizations, in the absence of nearby river course. On recognition of its assured potential, they started constructing earth structures to increase the storage capacity. These lakes also provided an intermediate storage in minimizing the surface runoff and floods. Malgujari tanks, Talav and Lakes were constructed and maintained by the Kings and jahagirdhars in Maharashtra.

Today, in the urban environment, they are seen as source for preservation of ecological elements (plants & living beings) and fresh air grounds. However over a period of time due to the demands of urbanisation, development has slowly crept up to the banks of these lakes thereby converting the once sprawling water bodies in to mere water tanks which are prone to degradation through development pressure, eutrophication and solid waste disposal.

Initiative by Thane Municipal Corporation

The Thane Municipal Corporation (T.M.C.) has taken tremendous efforts to revive the natural resources of the region and improve the environment in totality in the past years.

There has been an attempt by the T.M.C. to revive the dying lakes through bio-remediation techniques. These techniques have involved exhaustive lake specific studies, which in the absence of a comprehensive master plan, have not been as successful, since a water body never stands in isolation but is connected to the surrounding region/area as well. Many of the lakes are in poor condition in terms of water quantity and quality while some lakes are almost dying.

This study of the lake region was initiated by the Environment Pollution Cell of the Thane Municipal Corporation in an attempt to integrate the environmental aspects in the spatial planning process and development of the lakefronts.

Need for the study

In the above context, an elaborate study of the lake region was undertaken to prepare an ‘Ecologically Integrated Lake Management Plan’ which would take into consideration the natural and human ecology of the surrounding areas, explore and establish the linkages of the lakes in the larger context with the surrounding areas and then suggest measures for those which should be conserved, protected and restored.