Govt report biased, argue Ambazari residents, demand removal of Vivekanand statue
2
Nagpur: Petitioners in a PIL concerning the Ambazari flood disaster have challenged a report submitted by the Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS), Pune. They accused the report of legitimizing the unauthorized construction of Swami Vivekananda statue in the spill channel of Ambazari dam.
In a new affidavit filed before the Nagpur bench of Bombay high court, 91-year-old Ramgopal Bachuka and a group of senior citizens alleged that the CWPRS report was commissioned by Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), which is under scrutiny for regulatory violations. The affidavit is part of a PIL seeking accountability for the flood on September 2023 that caused extensive damage.
"The CWPRS study cannot override legislative provisions, including the Irrigation Act and Wetland Rules, under which the statue's location is in a prohibited area," petitioners argued through counsel Tushar Mandlekar.
"The report is designed to justify an illegal structure rather than evaluate the flood dynamics accurately."
They objected to the minutes of the High Power Committee (HPC) meeting held on April 29, which accepted the CWPRS report and declined to consider relocating the statue. The HPC, they contended, failed to address key concerns, including prior affidavits by departments such as irrigation and urban development, which acknowledged the illegality of the site.
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The petitioners also noted that the CWPRS admitted to discrepancies in its data sets but proceeded to prepare simulations using a peak flood discharge of only 116.10 cumecs — the design standard for a 1-in-100-year flood. In contrast, the Ambazari dam is built to handle a discharge of 320 cumecs, or a 1-in-1,000-year event, according to the National Institute of Hydrology.
They alleged that the statue and associated amenities — including a pedestal, library, and public seating — obstruct the dam's tail channel, reducing water-carrying capacity and creating a bottleneck that contributed to flooding in the city.
Citing a 2024 affidavit from the principal secretary of the urban development department, the petitioners reiterated that the statue lies in a zone where development is restricted by govt resolutions issued on August 2, 2013 and March 8, 2018.
They also submitted reports from Hitbhav Engineers, and the Command Area Development Authority, which showed the tail channel's width had been reduced due to construction, aggravating flood risks at the confluence of the Nag and Pili rivers.
The petitioners have urged the court to reject the CWPRS report and direct authorities to restore the Nag River's natural flow by removing obstructions. The next hearing is scheduled for July 9.
BOX
Challenge To CWPRS Ambazari Flood Study
#Core Arguments:
CWPRS flood study termed a 'sham report'
Petitioners say it was influenced by NMC
HPC meeting failed to consider statutory violations
#Technical Disputes:
Dam discharge capacity: 320 cumecs
CWPRS simulation: 116 cumecs
Tail channel narrowed by statue platform, creating bottleneck
#Legal Grounds:
2013 & 2018 GRs prohibit any construction at site
Principal secretary's 2024 affidavit admits location is a 'prohibited area'
#Demand:
Court must reject report and restore Nag River's natural flow
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