GHMC plantation works halt at Mir Alam Lake

Rajendranagar: Lack of coordination between various departments, especially among GHMC, R&B and Irrigation wing, is posing a grave threat to water bodies in and around the city and causing the wastage of public money spend on rejuvenation projects.

The latest example is the controversy brewed when the GHMC took up plantation drive at Mir Alam Lake, where the works of diversion canal were in progress. It had to be stopped following complaint lodged by Irrigation department with the Urban Bio-Diversity Wing.

The irrigation wing is busy in the construction of a diversion canal around the lake with an outlay of Rs 40 crore to draw the sewage flowing in from upstream areas into canal and redirect it to Sewerage Treatment Plants (STPs), set up around the water body. The initiative was taken up under Mission Bhagiratha in order to make the water bodies fully secure from pollution and stink, thereby helping the environment.

Grinding halt

However, to much of the surprise of officials of Irrigation Department, the GHMC has started planting saplings on the route close to compound wall of the lake blocking the way for the construction of the diversion canal. It is believed that the GHMC officials were completely unaware of the on-going construction work around the water body either due to lack of coordination with the irrigation wing or they simply overlooked the works.

Finding fault with the plantation programme on the route of diversion canal, the officials of irrigation wing rang up to the officials concerned at Urban Bio-Diversity Wing under GHMC – who have entrusted with the work only to lodge a complaint. The officials of Urban Bio-Diversity Wing have immediately halted the further plantation of the saplings.

When The Hans India contacted, the Deputy Director for Charminar Zone at Urban Bio-Diversity Wing Chandraiah said, "We have halted planting saplings soon after knowing the issue.

Will make a joint inspection tomorrow to examine the situation and plan relocation of saplings to pave way for the smooth conduct of on-going works of diversion canal."

This is not the lone case of lack of coordination between the line departments. A Few months ago R&B too has taken up works of slab culvert near Mir Alam filter to increase the outflow capacity of the already existed small pipeline through which the sewerage flowing from upstream areas like Teegal Kunta and Chashma have been redirected to the water body for several years.

"Though the irrigation department approached the R&B on more than one occasion, the R&B department is yet to pay any heed to the issue and is continuing the works close to Mir Alam Filter, posing a great risk to the historic lake," said an official at Irrigation Department.

Now, he added, we are facing another hurdle in the form of plantation on the route of diversion canal. We can't tell how many more issues we have to face till the completion of the work meant to protect the water body from all sorts of pollution, he bemoaned.