The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Hussainsagar to be free of garbage

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Wednesday, Feb 27, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Hussainsagar to be free of garbage

Special Correspondent

Proper monitoring of inlet channels to be taken up; NGOs propose ‘lake volunteering’

Photo: P.V. Sivakumar

Operation clean-UP: GHMC workers clearing the water-hyacinth in the Hussainsagar on Tuesday. –

HYDERABAD: The war over water hyacinth is on with about 70 persons working round-the-clock to clear the weed from the water spread of Hussainsagar on Tuesday.

HUDA officials are confident that the exercise can be completed in a day or two. Trucks have also been stationed to lift the hyacinth and other floating garbage manually from the lake.

In view of the water hyacinth and floating garbage menace, the HUDA has invited tenders for the purchase of a small dredger-like equipment worth Rs.1 crore for weeding out the garbage and water hyacinth. “We are in the process of finalising,” said HUDA Chief Engineer Vivek Deshmukh.

Nala problem

HUDA would also take steps for proper monitoring of inlet channels, bypass arrangement for untreated sewage coming from nalas for better maintenance and operation of diversion channels, he said. If the nalas are blocked with sewage and garbage, it will result in the flooding of lake with sewage and consequently a rapid spurt in water hyacinth.

Mr. Deshmukh also said that GHMC would also be requested to include watch and ward staff to scrutinise growth of water hyacinth in the upstream areas of the lake and control it at the source before it reaches the lake. GHMC is already responsible for clean-up activity of lake shore area including eradication of water hyacinth while the BPPA would reimburse the expenditure every month.

The dumping of garbage into the catchment areas of lake by the residents, disposal of waste into the shore area by food courts and restaurants was adding to the problem as the garbage gets trapped by the water hyacinth turning the lake area into an eyesore, Mr. Deshmukh said.

The issue also came up in the recently-held stakeholders’ workshop on Hussainsagar and Catchment Areas Improvement Project. Some NGOs came up with a proposal for lake volunteering and educating people of surrounding areas about the dangers of dumping.

Besides, HUDA is considering putting up mesh near inlet nalas to prevent solid waste from getting into the lake but cleaning the accumulated garbage at the mouth of the nala will not be an easy task.

Once the JBIC-aided Hussainsagar Improvement Project is ready, the problem of open nalas will be eliminated as sewer network and diversion channels to carry surplus sewage would be in place, he said.

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