Hyderabad lakes: Dump yards or football grounds?

Even as we gear up to celebrate ‘World Water Day’ today, we cannot ignore the looming water crisis in the city. What were once the epitomes of providing sweet drinking water, the Osmansagar and Himayatsagar Lakes are now steadily turning out to be garbage dump yards or football grounds.

This clearly depicts a gross negligence on part of the government bodies responsible for the lakes’ upkeep; perhaps they have no initiation of preserving these historic water bodies that once provided water to our city.

The GO 111, which was issued in 1996 to protect the lakes, prohibits industries, hotels, residential colonies or any establishment that generates pollution in the catchment of Osmansagar and Himayatsagar up to 10km from the Full Tank Level (FTL) of the lakes.

According to environmentalists from the city, this GO 111 is being diluted and there is a road being constructed right inside the FTL area. “Not only does this violate the law, it shows highhandedness of government bodies towards the law. If this continues then the lakes will soon be dead and will be alive only in the pictures,” rue environmentalists.

Dr Jeevanand Reddy, convener of the Forum for Sustainable Environment opines, “When we have our own resources that fill the needs of the city I don’t understand why our government is neglecting this and going around other States making contracts for water? We are forgetting our own resources!”

Dr Jasveen Jairath, Founding convenor of SOUL (Save Our Urban Lakes) adds, “Our government doesn’t want to protect our lakes. They shouldn’t forget the promises that were made during the time of elections regarding saving of water bodies. It is a pure real-estate business happening.

This land is sold like hot cakes in the market with high demand. But, one shouldn’t forget that these lakes are public resources and violating them is illegal.” There is a popular Hyderabadi saying that goes, ‘Gandipet ka paani piye toh iddharich marna!’ which translates to ‘Once you drink the water of Gandipet Lake your death is certain.’

Unfortunately, today people cannot experience the water of these lakes as it once was. However, there are a few who remain hopeful of its restoration. “I wish the sayings of water being sweet from these lakes still be alive. Shifting of industries has begun and hopefully it will be done by end of this year. Let’s be positive that we can continue cherishing the sweet waters from our reservoirs,” says SV Raghu, member of the Pollution Control Board (PCB).