Water Hyacinth in Maharashtra

• 27 Mar 2025

Why in News? 

A thick layer of water hyacinth has engulfed the Mula River near Holkar Bridge in Maharashtra, severely affecting its flow and visibility. 

 Key Points 

• About the Issue: 
  • Residents report that despite multiple complaints, authorities have made minimal efforts to clear the invasive weed from this crucial waterbody. 
  • The presence of water hyacinth is a key bio-indicator of high organic pollution in the river, highlighting the deteriorating water quality. 
  • Regular visitors express concerns over increasing the risk of vector-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, and chikungunya. 
  • Environmental activists reveal that over 50% of untreated sewage from Pune continues to flow into city rivers, exacerbating pollution levels. 
  • Despite the ongoing Mula-Mutha pollution abatement project, progress remains sluggish, failing to mitigate the crisis effectively. 
• Water Hyacinth:   

 

• About: 
  • Water hyacinth, scientifically known as Eichhornia crassipes Mart. (Pontederiaceae), is an aquatic weed common in waterbodies across South Asia, including India. 
  • This is not an indigenous species but was introduced to India during the British colonial rule as an ornamental aquatic plant from South America. 
  • The plant produces beautiful purple flowers that have high aesthetic value. 
• Significance: 
  • The plant has been used as a bio-fertiliser in some organic agriculture practices. 
  • This plant is a good phytoremediation species, suggesting it has the ability to trap and remove toxic metabolites and harmful heavy metals from water. 

Mula River 

• The Mula River flows through Pune in the state of Maharashtra. 
• It is dammed near the Western Ghats at the Mulshi Dam, which creates the Mulshi Lake. 
• Within Pune city, the Mula River merges with the Pawana River on its left bank and the Mutha River on its right bank. 
  • After these confluences, the river is known as the Mula-Mutha River. 
• The Mula-Mutha River eventually joins the Bhima River, contributing to its flow.