HMDA launches 'Neat and Clean Hussainsagar' drive

Hyderabad, July 12 (INN): The State Government has sanctioned Rs 15 crore for the beautification of Lumbini Park, Laser Park, Sanjeevaiah Park and other parks of Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority in view of proposed COP-II programme to be held in the city in October this year.

Talking to reporters at Buddha Purnima Project site at Tank Bund on Thursday, Metropolitan Commissioner Nirab Kumar Parsad said that Hyderabad was privileged to host the prestigious COP-II conference which was one of the biggest event after the independence.

Giving details of the HMDA's initiative 'Neat and Clean Hussain Sagar through People's Initiative', he said opinion and views would be sought from the general public and NGOs for the beautification of Hussain Sagar Lake.

He said about Rs 1.5 crore has been sanctioned to create awareness among the people towards the cleanliness drive.

Hussain Sagar is a historic lake which was constructed in the year 1562 AD to meet the irrigation needs of Hyderabad.

The lake was also used as a drinking water source from 1884 to 1930. However, today this is counted among the most polluted lakes in the country.

The total catchment area of Hussain Sagar is 240 kilometres, spread over Kukutpally, Yousufugda, Qutubullapur, Jeedimetla, Bowenpally and Alwal areas.

There are about 80 lakes in the catchment area of Hussain Sagar and it has been proposed to take up protection of lakes by categorising and priortising them.

Restoration of some important nalas leading to Hussainsagar area is being taken up under the HCIP Project.

The lakes would be protected through the involvement of private sector companies under the Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives.

As per the HMDA, there are four major streams that joins Hussain Sagar from Balkapur, Banjara Hills, Kukatpally and Picket through which raw sewage flows into the lake.

Even industrial effluents are also coming through Kukatpally Nala. The Metropolitan Commissioner said that steps were being taken to stop further pollution of the lake by stopping the inflow of raw sewage and industrial effluents and the polluted water would be purified using the Japan's Technology.

Seven Interception and Diversion Structures have been built in the lake to stop the inflow of the raw sewage.

Nirab Kumar strongly advocated the necessity to stop the immersion of Ganesh idols into the Hussain Sagar lake.

He also informed that the HMDA was also planning to install garbage bins at important junctions along side the nalas to prevent people from dumping garbage into the nalas.