In a significant setback to the State Lake Conservation Scheme, the Maharashtra government has cancelled the administrative approval of 14 lake conservation projects across the state. The decision comes after local self-government bodies and implementing agencies failed to meet procedural requirements and submit necessary reports, even after a prolonged period of two years.
Taking a strict stance, the government has also directed the concerned agencies to refund the funds already disbursed amounting to several lakhs of rupees along with applicable interest.
The decision was finalised following a review conducted by the Environment and Climate Change Department during a steering committee meeting held on February 16, 2026.
The review found serious lapses in project compliance. Out of 11 proposals submitted for administrative approval, five did not adhere to the prescribed guidelines. Additionally, nine projects failed to submit revised technical reports despite repeated reminders over more than two years.
Based on these findings, the committee recommended cancelling the in principle approvals granted to all 14 projects a recommendation that has now been formally accepted by the government.
The affected projects include lakes under Ausa Municipal Council in Latur district (Mukteshwar, Samatanagar, and Ausa lakes), Ozhar Lake in Ratnagiri district, Vadap Lake in Raigad, Erangal Lake in Mumbai, and Khambale Lake in Nashik district.
Jalgaon district has been the worst affected, with five lake projects in Chalisgaon taluka Kalamdu, Rajmane, Visapur, Devali, and Brahmanshevge lakes losing their approvals.
The government has instructed all concerned agencies to immediately return the allocated funds to the state treasury to avoid financial irregularities arising from delayed or non utilisation. The move is seen as a strong message to ensure accountability and timely execution of environmental projects in the future.
Projects with Cancelled Approval
Category ‘A’ Projects:
Ausa Municipal Council (Mukteshwar, Samatanagar, and Ausa lakes)
Lanja Nagar Panchayat (Ozhar Lake)
Zilla Parishad Raigad (Vadap Lake)
Category ‘B’ Projects:
MHADA Mumbai (Erangal Lake)
Zilla Parishad Nashik (Khambale Lake)
Parli Vaijnath Municipal Council (Parampok Lake)
Zilla Parishad Raigad (Beloshi Lake)
Zilla Parishad Jalgaon (Kalamdu, Rajmane, Visapur, Devali, and Brahmanshevge lakes)
The decision underscores the government’s intent to enforce discipline, transparency, and efficiency in the implementation of environmental conservation initiatives.
