Hussainsagar clean up project

Activists threaten FIR against government

Save Our Urban Lakes (SOUL), a city-based voluntary organisation, has threatened to lodge an FIR against Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao for proposing to drain out the Hussainsagar Lake. SOUL members, including Prof K Purshottam Reddy, Jasveen Jairath, P G Subba Rao and Dr Lubna Sarwath strongly opposed the State Government's proposal to rid the pollution of Hussainsagar. They said that the proposal, if implemented, would be major health hazard that could adversely impact the lives of thousands of people, including spread of cancer.

While the entire city would be in the grip of its stink, the water would cause further pollution in all the areas from where it passes by while being drained out. They also questioned how the government proposed to remove lakhs of tonnes of silt from the lake bed. More importantly they wondered where it would be dumped.

The SOUL members ridiculed the proposal and said it would be almost impossible to refill the lake with fresh and clean water.“Hyderabad and Secunderabad are not having sufficient water for drinking purpose. In such a scenario, how does the government propose to refill the lake?” they asked.

The activists noted that the Chief Minister should instead focus on shifting or closing of industries responsible for causing pollution in Hussainsagar lake. They also asked the government to follow the guidelines of Supreme Court to clean the lake. They alleged that Chandrashekar Rao was trying to waste public money on such impractical proposals. Stating that the project was unscientific, Dr Lubna said as per Section 505 of Indian Penal Code, causing alarm in public or disturbing public tranquility is punishable.

Prof Reddy pointed out that if the water was drained out, it would create havoc in downstream localities and colonies. “The need of the hour is first stop effluents entering into the lake from the five inlets and clean the lake through a natural process,” he said. Echoing the sentiments, Prof Rao said that the draining of water would have catastrophic effects as sediments contain concentration of heavy metals and pesticide residues that are highly toxic to humans, cattle and aquatic life. He said that some of the chemicals like hexavalent chromium, cadmium, arsenic are carcinogenic.

Demands

• Review of the JICA project and placing the findings in public domain.
• A white paper on the discussions and a scientific study conducted to arrive at the decision to empty Hussain Sagar Lake
• To announce the proceedings of the Environmental Impact Assessment, Social Impact Assessment and Public Hearings conducted prior to the announcement and to place it in public domain.
• To immediately take all steps to stop the dry weather flow consisting of domestic wastewater and industrial wastewater that enters into the lake.
• Prevent non-point source pollutants from entering the lake
• Provide mesh at inlet points to stop debris entering the lake
• Provide artificial aeration at inlet points and all lakes in catchment including Hussain Sagar to avoid anerobic conditions. Solar aerators must be arranged.