KCR move to save Hussain Sagar?

Instead of discharging the wastes from Kukatpally nala into Hussain Sagar, a bypass pipeline will carry the effluents to the outflowing nala at Hotel Marriot.

Chief Minister KCR asks officials to come up with a Detailed Project Report (DPR) to divert Kukatpally nala through other streams to avoid further degradation of the lake. While this is a welcome initiative, this would further increase the time limit for the completion of the Hussain Sagar Catchment Improvement Project (HCIP). The project, which began in March 2008, already skipped several deadlines.

The Hussain Sagar Catchment Improvement Project (HCIP), a pet project of Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), which aims at reviving and restoring the glory of the Hussain Sagar has hit a road block yet again. The notorious Kukatpally nala, which alone is responsible for the bulk of pollution in the lake, is again the villain.

The Kukatpally nala discharges about 250 million litres per day (MLD) of sewage into the lake. After nearly spending Rs 280 crore on the entire project, the HMDA officials realised that the dredging and transfer of dredged waste is not economical and doesn’t have clearance from the Pollution Control Board (PCB).

Rs 45 crore was earmarked for the dredging works on four nalas: Picket, Balkapur, Banjara and Kukatpally. Nearly Rs 40 crore was spent on the works on Picket, Balkapur and Banjara nalas and only Rs 5 crore in the estimated budget was left to complete the works on the Kukatpally nala.

Earlier this year, an internal study and a report by the PCB delivered a blow to the HMDA that works cannot be carried out and the transfer of the waste was even more hazardous. It was only after Chief Minister KCR ordered a relook at the works on the nala, officials started thinking about alternatives. The Chief Minister asked the officials to come up with a Detailed Project Report (DPR).

Diverting the nala

Currently the officials are mulling the feasibility of changing the direction of wastes from Kukatpally nala to the out-flowing nala near Hotel Marriot.

“We are looking at the possibility of changing the direction of Kukatpally nala. The plans are on to construct a new pipeline from the confluence point of the nala with the Sagar till the nala at Hotel Marriot. There is an old pipeline of the Water Board but that was deemed unfit. Initial estimates put the cost in between Rs 10 crore and 12 crore. Along with the construction of pipeline, we will be employing bio and phyto remedies to increase the oxygen content in the water,” said a senior official with the HMDA.

Previous measures to rejuvenate the lake

As part of the project, seven fountains were installed in the lake in September 2011 to improve the dissolved oxygen content in the water and help aquatic life. The fountains cost about Rs 10 million.

Several deadlines missed

The project began in 2008 and the original deadline was December 2012, but later it was rescheduled to March 2013. The works were, however, delayed yet again and the dredging works at Hussainsagar missed its deadline of March 2014 yet again.