Canadian technology fails to fix Hussainsagar

Can any technology fix the Hussainsagar? Ninety days after a Canadian firm was allowed to work on the revival of the lake, the reports on the oxygen and chemical levels in the lake water seem like a mixed bag.

Two machines were installed on the shore of the lake as part of the project, which was initiated on a pilot basis. At the start of the project in the last week of March, the dissolved oxygen level at the bottom of the lake at Necklace Road was at 3.9mg per litre.

In April and May, this level fell to 0, according to data analysed by private labs. At Buddha Statue in July, the oxygen level was seen to be going up to 5.2 mg/L.

Experts on lake conservation have reservations about any technology working on Hussainsagar as well. “Spending any amount of money on the lake is in vain if the catchment areas are left untreated and only polluted water flows in,” said Mr B.V. Subba Rao, an environmentalist.

The project was monitored by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority. Telangana State Pollution Control Board was not involved in the monitoring and sampling of the water.

It also remains unclear why no external experts were involved in the project. “They should make the monitoring process of the lake water transparent and also put up an expert committee to analyse the reports as seasonality may change the results,” said Mr Subba Rao.

The facilitators of the project in Hyderabad say that the results can be improved if the untreated sewerage that is being discharged into the lake without any treatment is diverted. PCB senior scientist Raveendhar said the PCB’s real time monitoring system situated at the bottom of the lake notes that there was no improvement in oxygen levels at depth, but a 50 per cent improvement in oxygen levels was noted at the surface level. Colour and odour levels were also improving, he added.