Langar Houz Lake brims with filth, garbage

Langar Houz: In spite of regular inspections by the local MLA, GHMC officials and spending of huge funds to clean up the lakes in Karwan constituency, several lakes are still highly polluted.

The Langar Houz lake in Karwan constituency always remains filled with garbage and filth; the water hyacinth (Gurrapu Decca) floating all over it remains a cause of health issues to the residents as it provides an ideal breeding ground for mosquitos.

The langar Houz lake is slowly turning into the garbage dumping ground with tons of garbage and construction material are being dumped in it. The water hyacinth covers the entire lake despite the claims by authorities that it is being removed regularly.

Spread over more than 20 acers, the lake has been facing neglect from the authorities who make tall claim about its development. "Many a projects were taken up by the GHMC and MLA for the beautification of lakes in Karwan, but still there is no progress whatever at the any of these lakes, which remain in worst condition. The Langar Houz lake is surrounded by residential colonies.

Those who are residing in areas like Baghdad Colony, Afsar Khan Colony, Laxmi Nagar, Prashant Nagar and the Golconda area face the mosquito menace. Each year during monsoon the mosquitoes swarm the nearby areas and remains major cause of health-related issues, causing disease like malaria, dengue and other vector-borne diseases," said Osman Bin Mohammed Al Hajri, Congress leader.

Hajri said that GHMC had promised to remove the garbage and water hyacinth before this monsoon and also promised to come up with fence for the lake, which still remains pending.

Hi-tech machines can be used to remove hyacinth completely

The leader pointed out that the GHMC was availing services of high-tech equipment to remove the water hyacinth in other areas like Kukatpally. "When the Municipal authorities can use this machine (Hyacinth removing machine) to clean up the lakes, why not in the Karwan constituency, which has been facing the mosquito menace for years", he noted.

Residents said that the lake is filled with all kinds of wastage, garbage and even sewerage flows, which turns the water into a pool of waste which is causing health issues to the surrounded areas of lake. "Each year in monsoon we urge the officials to clean the lake and despite regular complaints no action has been taken by the authorities.

The breeding of mosquitoes will only increase in the monsoon. Hence we request the government to take step towards the cleaning of lakes," said Shaik Saleem, a resident of Golconda.

It may be mentioned here that about 40 volunteers comprising IT employees, students, lawyers, medicos and the aged cleaned the Langer Houz Lake during the weekend. The lake was filled with garbage, sewage water and water hyacinth. Every Saturday they conduct cleaning drive from 8am to 10am at the lake.

According to Madhulika Choudhary of Dhruvansh, an NGO, lake is spread over 40 acres, 23 mld (million litres of water per day) sewage water enters the lake every day. From past 67 days we have removed tons of garbage, but still the garbage is lying in a lake. On weekends, Madhulika Choudhary coordinates the activities. The volunteers also clean up Neknampur Lake in Neknampur and Yerrakunta in Shaikpet.