Rampant dumping of food waste clogs drains, sparks inundation

Hyderabad: During the monsoon, heavy rains are causing flooding on roads near hotels,restaurants, and other eateries due to the choking of the sewer system. These businesses contribute to the problem by dumping kitchen waste into the drains, which leads to blockages and further damage to the city's drainage system.

In areas where hotels and restaurants are built, sewer systems overflow due to the dumping of kitchen waste into drainage lines, leading to massive flooding during rains. These eateries fail to adhere to solid waste management norms.

During the recent torrential rains, the road at Tolichowki Junction was submerged in knee-deep water. Vehicles, including bikes, autos, and cars, were floating, and floodwater entered houses and commercial establishments such as Rumaan Hotel and Limra Function Hall. This waterlogging has been a recurring issue in the area during heavy rains.

Karwan MLA Kausar Mohiuddin, during his inspection following heavy rains on Tuesday, found that the sewer system in the area was choked with kitchen waste. He informed that hotels and roadside food stalls along the stretch are disposing of used cooking oil, food scraps, and other waste into the drains. This improper disposal has clogged the sewer system, resulting in massive inundation.

“Recently, the GHMC undertook the remodelling of sewer and stormwater lines to prevent water stagnation in the area, following the AIMIM’s representation. However, during heavy rains, the entire stretch is flooded with rainwater. On Tuesday, eateries were found dumping kitchen waste into the sewer system, leading to massive inundation,” he added.

Kausar cautioned hotel management against dumping waste into pipelines and warned that repeated violations could result in the seizure of their hotels by the civic authorities.

A resident in Tolichowki complained that overflowing drainage is a regular issue due to hotels dumping food waste into the sewer lines, leading to unpleasant smells. Mohammed Nayeemuddin stated, “The entire road is covered with dirty, oily water gushing out from the manholes, creating a foul smell and causing significant flooding during rains. We residents face a lot of inconvenience, and it is difficult for commuters to pass through the slippery, overflowing drainage water.”

Across several stretches of the city where eateries are opened, it is evident that these eateries are dumping kitchen waste into drains. This leads to drainage blockages and sewage overflowing onto the roads, as well as choking nearby drainage systems in residential areas.

Furthermore, during cleaning operations by HMWSSB, it was observed that several hotels were dumping food waste into the drains. This caused blockages, leading to drain water flowing onto the road. As a result, the road becomes slippery, creating inconvenience for commuters.

According to HMWSSB, the major causes of sewer system blockages and overflowing manholes are food waste and plastic being dumped into manholes and drain openings connected to the manholes.

The official said that oil coats the underground pipes, reducing their carrying capacity. Additionally, meat waste and bones wrapped in plastic covers are secretly disposed of in manholes. This is what we often retrieve from the sewage during cleaning and inspections.