Hussainsagar still dirty as cleansing work stays shoddy

● THE JOINT committee that went into the matter learnt that 40–50 per cent of untreated wastewater enters the lake from the Kukatpally nala. Incidentally, the HMDA had invited global tenders for technological interventions and out of eight companies, entrusted work to Matrix Environment Inc. from Bahadurpura in March this year.

● THE REPORT has recommended that there be proper flow measurement devices to measure the flow of sewage generated. Appropriate measures must be taken to avoid direct discharge of untreated sewage, it said. It also suggested enhancement in capacities of the existing STPs.

Improper execution of work has undermined efforts to cleanse and beautify Hussainsagar lake.

An experts’ report prepared for National Green Tribunal (NGT) and published earlier this week says the two Sewerage Treatment Plants (STPs) at Balkapur Nala of 20 MLD and Picket Nala of 30 MLD have failed in cleansing the water. As a result, during peak hours — 7 am to noon — and during monsoons untreated water enters Hussainsagar lake due to gravity.

The report says due to choking of Interception and Diversion (I&D) structure too untreated sewage enters the lake. Further, partial discharge of untreated sewage and industrial effluents also harm water quality.

The joint committee that went into the matter learnt that 40–50 per cent of untreated wastewater enters the lake from the Kukatpally nala. Incidentally, the HMDA had invited global tenders for technological interventions and out of eight companies, entrusted work to Matrix Environment Inc. from Bahadurpura in March this year. That work was to be completed in six months. But HMDA has not received any technical documentation in this regard.

It is to be noted that Hussainsagar lake has two outlets, one at Viceroy Hotel and the other at Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) office.

The report said, “As informed by lake authorities, the outlet at Viceroy Hotel is not regularly operational as the sluice gates are closed. They are opened during high floods or if the water-level of the lake increases to freeboard level”.

Not only does this spell disaster for the lake but also for Musi river, as the remaining untreated water from surplus nala flows directly into the

Musi river. Ringing the death knell for the river, the report further goes on to state: “There are nalas on both sides of river Musi which carries a considerable quantity of untreated sewage into the river. River Musi is supposed to be a freshwater body. But as on date it looks like a big drain carrying sewage.”

The report has recommended that there be proper flow measurement devices to measure the flow of sewage generated. Appropriate measures must be taken to avoid direct discharge of untreated sewage, it said. It also suggested enhancement in capacities of the existing STPs.

It recommended that there be a permanent Lake Protection Committee comprising stakeholders of the state with regulatory powers to protect the Hussainsagar Lake. The state government should also allocate a separate budget to establish a State Level Lake Management Authority. This authority should comprise experts who are technically sound in dealing with the problem, the report added.