Hussain sagar : Neglected
It is close to four years now that the Hussainsagar restoration project is being talked about but the stench has only been getting worse with lake water quality further deteriorating.
It was in March 2004 that the then HUDA officials announced the Rs.300 crore Japanese Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) aided massive project to prevent pollution of the lake with sewage and industrial effluents and rid it of its accumulated toxic waste.
GHMC which should have provided mesh at least up to 1 km of nalas before they entered the lake to prevent solid waste into the lake too did not do its share of work. Added to this many households surrounding the lake do not have sewer networks.
But even after the time consuming consultation process that the JBIC adopted to ascertain the HUDA’s capabilities to be the nodal agency for the project and formally approved the sanction of the loan, the project is yet to be grounded.
While the donor agency has been meticulous in its evaluation process including organising public hearing by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in July, 2006 with all the stakeholders, the coordinating agencies in the project — HMWSSB, APPCB and GHMC — failed to implement the components of the project given to them.The HMWSSB neither maintained the ‘Intersection and Diversion’ structures of Kukatpally, Picket nalas that carry sewage and effluents or dredged the nala mouths leading to increased pollution levels of the lake.
It also did not provide ring sewers around the lake to prevent pollutants from entering the lake. “If these structures are maintained properly, situation would not be this bad,” said sources.
Poor monitoring
Poor monitoring by the PCB and its failure to prosecute polluting units only increased the flow of untreated effluents into the nalas and from there into Hussainsagar. GHMC which should have provided mesh at least up to 1 km of nalas before they entered the lake to prevent solid waste into the lake too did not do its share of work. Added to this many households surrounding the lake do not have sewer networks.
No respite
The BPPA has been entrusted with shore area and superficial lake clean up beside maintaining the 20 mld STP near Khairatabad flyover. Yet this had not much impact in either reducing the stench nor controlling the hyacinth and blue algal growth.
It is also said that HUDA officials dealing with JBIC were not prompt in their follow-ups delaying the project execution. The only development so far, apart from the training and capacity building activities for HUDA engineers, is the tenders for the first major 30 mld STP to come up at Patigadda under the project will be opened by HUDA on Thursday. This STP once ready would treat the sewage carried by the Kukatpally and Picket Nalas.
Source : The Hindu
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