GHMC dumping construction debris in Talab Lake

Tolichowki: Ever wondered where the construction debris is ending up? It is into the lakes and it is being done not allegedly by the real estate mafia but by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC). A case in point is the Shah Hatim Talab Lake at Tolichowki. This has been going on for several months. Mohammed Baseer, a shepherd who stays close to Shah Hatim Talab said, “Whenever residents complain about construction waste, GHMC disperses the construction waste into the lake.”

Lubna Sarwath, co-convener of Save Our Urban Lakes (SOUL) argues, “The motto behind the removal of construction waste is to protect soil and water bodies but the municipal body is polluting the lakes. Concrete is alkaline in nature and thus it rises the levels of pH which reduces the level of nutrients in soil and water.” She goes on to add, “No doubt the groundwater levels are depleting in the city due to irregular management of construction debris.” Shah Hatim Talab is contaminated and encroached, as a result during the rainy season, nearby areas get inundated because inflow channels have been blocked and rainwater cannot reach the lake.”

A similar case at road number 82 Film Nagar, Jubilee Hills was reported where the construction waste lining across road number 82 was pushed into the lush green vegetation. A resident of Ambedkar Nagar, in Jubilee Hills Manikanta Reddy said, “Piles of construction waste was flattered over the plantation, although in the beginning GHMC trucks were filled with waste, but soon they realized that the waste was too much to carry so they spread it across the vegetation and flattened the land.”

GHMC in 2017 promised two construction and demolishment sites in the city and since then there was no progress on this front. Shaik Naseer another resident from the area said “Every day trucks full of waste is dumped around the lake. It seems that the authorities are hand in glove with the locals in planning to encroach the lake space.”