Water Hyacinth Crisis in Maharashtra's Mula River
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Event | Water hyacinth engulfs Mula River near Holkar Bridge in Maharashtra. |
| Issue | Minimal efforts by authorities to clear the invasive weed; deteriorating water quality. |
| Health Concerns | Increased risk of vector-borne diseases like malaria, dengue, and chikungunya. |
| Pollution Source | Over 50% of untreated sewage from Pune flows into city rivers. |
| Project | Mula-Mutha pollution abatement project shows sluggish progress. |
| Water Hyacinth | Scientifically known as Eichhornia crassipes Mart. (Pontederiaceae). |
| Origin | Introduced to India during British colonial rule from South America as an ornamental plant. |
| Uses | Used as a bio-fertiliser and for phytoremediation to remove heavy metals from water. |
| Mula River | Flows through Pune, dammed at Mulshi Dam, merges with Pawana and Mutha Rivers, later joins Bhima River. |