Artificial islands help in lakes conservation

Meerpet: As rivers and lakes are unique habitats for plants and animals so to conserve the wetlands many non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are trying to protect the wetlands by using various techniques and methods.

As an example artificial floating islands have been set up at a few lakes in the city – Neknampur Lake and Sunnam Kunta at Jubilee Hills, Chandana Cheruvu at Meerpet and Janamma Cheruvu at Shadnagar – by Madhulika Choudhary who heads the NGO Dhruvansh.

These islands are in fact a floating treatment wetland (FTW) which plays a vital role in cleaning the lakes by absorbing nutrients dissolved in the water, such as excess nitrates and oxygen, thereby reducing the chemical content.

Madhulika, an environmental activist, said, "Since the lakes in Hyderabad do not have land to create any wetland or sewage treatment plants so we thought of introducing artificial floating islands in the lakes. In 2018, on the occasion of World Wetlands Day, we set up artificial floating island at the 444-year-old Ibrahim Bagh Cheruvu or Neknampur lake that is spread over 108 acres near Golconda fort."

"Also we set up artificial floating island on 103.85 acres Chandana Cheruvu, Meerpet which is a biggest floating island. in 2020, we set up 9000 square feet island over here and around 3000 plants were planted and we are planning to plant more 1600 plants that includes cannas, cattail, bulrush, fountain grass and insulin plants.

These islands are quiet useful as they do not have any maintenance cost and also do not need any special monitoring.

It has reduced nitrates and phosphates to 60 percent in the lake and stopped the growth of aquatic weed and also increased biodiversity & looks beautiful. Apart from these two lakes, the NGO has installed artificial floating island at Sunnam Kunta, Jubilee Hills and Janamma Cheruvu, Shadnagar.