BHUBANESWAR: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has launched a scientific water treatment process using mechanised floaters to restore the quality of water in the historic Bindu Sagar lake at Old Town in the city.

BMC officials said unused boats from the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA)-managed City Centre (the erstwhile Nicco Park), have been refurbished and deployed for cleaning operation of the lake. The initiative focuses on removing weeds and improving water quality through advanced techniques, they said.

Located near the 11th century Lingaraj temple, the heritage lake, spread over 22 acre, has been facing severe water quality degradation owing to biological pressure, algae growth and human activities. Though multiple attempts had been made in the past to clean the lake completely, they did not yield desired results.

However, the civic body which is now looking into its water management, has begun the restoration efforts in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT). Officials said BMC’s drainage division is implementing scientific method to ensure year-round cleanliness of the lake.

BMC executive engineer for drainage Priyabrata Behera said the initiative has been taken to keep the holy water body clean throughout the year and contribute to the ongoing efforts for Swachh Sarvekshan ranking of the state capital.

“The inoperative water treatment system of the lake has also been successfully restored by the IICT. The system is presently undergoing performance evaluation by IICT against its designed parameters to ensure optimal water quality and operational stability,” he said.