Hyderabad: Mir Alam Lake stinks, as project works stuck

Hyderabad: Though one year has passed after grounding of theMir Alam Lake beautification project under the Mission Kakatiya, no progress has taken place. The project includes walkway, cycling track and 6-km sewerage diversion canal around the water body.

Out of a total of 6 km of sewerage diversion pipeline, the GHMC and the irrigation department got the work share for 3 km each. This project worth Rs 40.22 crore was grounded in September 2019. The project initially began with sewerage diversion canal starting from Indira Nagar side near Hassan Nagar, Rajendrangar with a seed support of Rs 8 crore.

Meanwhile, the irrigation officials claim that the works of sewerage diversion canal would direct the filth coming from surrounding colonies into the sewerage treatment plants (STPs) set up across the water body. The works might take another month to get completed. Sewerage from nearby areas can be seen directly draining into the water body raising question over the true purpose of project which is worth crores.

"The sewerage diversion canal work that began in 2019 will be completed in a month. The project would help redirect the filth coming from upward and surrounding areas to Sewerage Treatment plants (STP) set up near Mir Alam Filter. The treated water thereafter will be released into the water body to ensure the aquatic life and biodiversity remain in thrall of the environment. We were working at the places from where the sewerage is still getting into the water body," informed an official on condition of anonymity. There are as many as four points from where the sewerage water is entering into the pond.

The dense water hyacinth spread across the lake is harmful to aquatic life and is become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. According to the officials the present water body is spread over an area of 464 acres and has a depth of 15 meters.