What makes it a poison sagar?

Pollution at the Hussain Sagar Lake continues unabated. The pollutants from the nalas, despite all the dredging and other works, keep entering the lake. The pollutants mainly flow from the Jeedimetla and Kukatpally nala. The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) failed to divert the nala. The Hussain Sagar Catchment Improvement Plan (HCIP), despite being operational for more than four years after crores being spent on it, failed to provide any results. In 2013, Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) issued guidelines for the check of the pollutants, but the files are gathering dust and the water getting murkier

• No stopping of pollutants entering the lake

• Wastes from pharma and bulk drug units continue to flow into Hussain Sagar

• Kukatpally nala is the biggest culprit

• PCB’s recommendations given a go by

Kukatpally, Banjara, Picket and Balkapur nalas flow in 360-410 MLD sewage every day. Studies by the APPCB show that almost half of the sewage enters the Hussain Sagar. The Kukatpally nala is the biggest culprit, as it carries pollutants from the pharma, bulk drug and chemical cleaning units located in Jeedimetla.

With a budget of Rs 14 crore, authorities at the HMDA constructed a ring main with I and D sceptre at Necklace Road, where the nala joins the lake. But that didn’t check the pollutants from entering the lake, as the nala was carrying sewage beyond the capacity of the ring main. Reports with the PCB state that nearly 50-60 MLD of sewage from the nala joins the lake.

Independent studies on the lake suggest that the water in the lake has become acidic and aquatic life is close to nil. Studies also state that the lake has high content of harmful pollutants like cadmium, lead, nickel, aluminium, manganese and mercury.

Purification

The HMDA authorities started the HCIP project with a layout of Rs 370 crore. It has been more than four years since the project was flagged off, yet the results aren’t quite encouraging. Apart from I and D work on the Kukatpally nala, the work on other nalas are still going on. The dredging work worth Rs 40 crore at the nalas is yet to be completed. Because of the delay in the work, pollutants continue to enter the lake.

PCB recommendations

APPCB has done a detailed study and has come up with recommendations. But they remain on paper. The recommendations by the PCB are:

• 128 electroplating units at Jeedimetla should be transferred to Duddeda in Siddipet Mandal of Medak district on a war- footing

• Gampala Basthi chemical drum cleaning units should be automated

• The trucks carrying wastes from the bulk drug and pharma units at Jeedimetla, should have a GPS system to track them and ensure that the wastes go to treatment plant at JETL and not get dumped in the nala

• RTA should have check posts at Jeedimetla, Suchitra Junction, Medchal, Dulapalli, Gandi Maisamma X Roads, Kukatpally Y Junction and Suraram junction to monitor the movement of tankers carrying wastes

• Two Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) should be constructed at IDPL township (59 million litres) and Fatehnagar (30 million litres)