Hyderabad Lakes & Parks

[Gudavalli]

Hussainsagar clean-up project progressing at a snail's pace

HYDERABAD: The Hussainsagar lake cleaning and catchment area improvement project began four years ago, but so far only 60% work has been completed by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA). Though the state government fixed a fresh deadline, March 2013, to complete the project, the authority is likely to miss this deadline too as some major works, including dredging, are yet to begin.

Even if dredging and disposal of sediments begin now, it would take at least a year for completing the work. Some other works like eco park, proposed near KIMS hospital, has landed in legal wrangles, while shoreline improvement work is yet to be completed.

The Hussainsagar Lake and Catchment Area Improvement Project (HCIP) is being taken up at a cost of Rs 370 crore. Of the total project cost, Rs 310 crore is being funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency ( JICA) and the rest, Rs 60 crore, by the state government. The project began in 2008 and the original deadline was December 2012, but later it was rescheduled to March 2013.

The main objectives of the project are to clean the water, prevent pollutants from entering the lake and maintain round-the-year water balance in it. The project also includes removal of sediments from lakebed, interception and diversion of flows, improvement of nalas, maintain overall lake environment and its surroundings.

As part of the project, it was decided to construct a new 30 million litres per day (MLD) sewerage treatment plant (STP) on the Picket nala and upgradation of existing 20 MLD STP at Hussainsagar, construction of ring sewers around the lake and a small STP of 5 MLD capacity at Ranghadhamini Chervu.

Sources said the STP at KIMS would be ready by next month, while the STPs at Khairatabad and Kukatpally might take another two months. The construction of ring sewers around the lake were completed, but trunk sewers in the Secunderabad Cantonment area were yet to be done. Nala improvement works were also progressing at a snail's pace with hitches like encroachments. An eco park proposed near KIMS was stalled due to a court case and shoreline improvement work at Sanjeeviah Park would be completed in a month. A few months ago, the HMDA had installed aeration equipment for improving dissolved oxygen content in the lake.

When contacted, HMDA executive engineer (HCIP) BLN Reddy said dredging, which is the main component of the project, would begin next month as tender process has been completed.

"Dredging work will be taken up at a cost of Rs 40 crore and the agency has been finalized. The contractor has to complete the work within 12 months," he added.

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Equine Therapy Park set up at Golconda




A few children were curious, a few others apprehensive. Some sat secure, and some were cautious. One or two waved and upped their thumbs at friends sitting in the gallery, while many others just enjoyed sitting on the horseback, perhaps for the first time in their life.

Coming out of the classroom proved to be a greater learning experience for many of the children with special needs at the Asha School, Artillery Centre, Golconda, where the city’s first ever Equine Therapy Park was launched on Wednesday.

Inaugurated by the Deputy Director, Family Welfare Organisation, Artillery Centre, Archana Sharma, the park has two trained horses to carry the children, along with two handlers. Each child was assisted over a podium onto the horseback, and allowed to take in the fun of equine saunter around the field, stopping occasionally to play a game of ball or to pluck leaves from tree-branches, as per the directions by the coaches.

“Horse gait is similar in rhythm to human gait, and renders balance to the body movements. Among special children, equine therapy is known to improve eye-hand coordination, attention span and concentration. Learning outdoors, social interaction, and bonding with an animal improve their cognitive abilities,” said Pushpa P. Bopaiah, the Equine Therapist from Bangalore who offered technical assistance in setting up the facility here.

Therapeutic riding will help children with disabilities such as multiple sclerosis, Down’s syndrome, cerebral palsy, attention deficit disorder, and autism, by strengthening their posture, exercising their muscles, improving their attention and thereby boosting their confidence levels, she said.

Each session lasts for 45 minutes, which includes warm up exercises, riding in the arena and outdoor riding, and playing games on the horseback. The park is open for all the 33 children being trained at the Asha School, half of whom are from families below poverty line, said D.D. Bhagat, the officer in charge of the school. The training module consists of three stages, walk, trot and canter. First stage consists basics, while the last stage will ready the children for competitions, Ms. Bopaiah said.

This is the fourth such facility in the country, with the first three having been set up in Ambala, Kolkata and Delhi. Asha Schools were chosen as they are better equipped to run such facilities, Ms. Bopaiah said.

“I have been doing it for the last 12 years in Bangalore. My ultimate dream is to see India participating in the Equestrian sport of the Special Olympics,” she said.

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Nehru Zoo to soon have inpatient facility

Soon, sick animals at the Nehru Zoological Park and those rescued from different situations and in need of immediate medical attention, will have a well-equipped inpatient facility.

The zoo authorities have started the work on upgrading the present veterinary block with an extension to accommodate a properly furnished and appropriately equipped inpatient provision including a pharmacy, for different animals.

The facilities being set up include separate spaces for carnivores and birds. “Since we already have a kraal to manage herbivores, our focus is to come up with a facility for others,” an official said. Accordingly, the design being worked out looks at cages and kraals where a sick or rescued animal or bird could be kept for recovery and later, for necessary recuperation period.

In several cases, the zoo staff have to hand feed newborns of animals such as monkey and jaguar. For such situations, it has been planned to provide sterile and antiseptic rooms for cub rearing. Since they also need lot of sunshine and space to move around, an ante-room with such provision was being designed, said the zoo veterinary assistant surgeon, P. Srinivas.

ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT

Additional equipment such as blood analyser, scanners, etc. would be acquired, said P. Mallikarjuna Rao, director of zoos in the State. A well-stocked pharmacy would also form part of the design worked out for the inpatients for which a budget of around Rs.25 lakh has been earmarked.

Apart from the animals at the zoo, the new facility being created would serve the needs of birds and animals rescued from different places. Officials pointed out that in most such instances, the rescued ones are brought with injuries needing immediate attention of a veterinarian.

“The work on inpatient facilities taken up last year at Sri Venkateswara Zoo, Tirupati, and Indira Gandhi Zoological Park, Visakhapatnam, are in a final shape. Now, we will start the same at Nehru Zoo and expect to have it in place by the year-end,” said Mr. Mallikarjuna Rao.

[sriece19]

Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority to clear Hussainsagar of flotsam and jetsam

HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) has decided to revamp the system of cleaning the Hussainsagar by taking additional measures to even clean the shoreline and remove all floating material. These measures would be in addition to the ongoing project of Hussainsagar Lake Catchment Area Improvement Project being taken up with the help of funds granted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Addressing a press conference in the city on Thursday, HMDA metropolitan commissioner Neerabh Kumar Prasad said five major initiatives were being taken up in the revamped system, namely, removal of floating material and shoreline cleaning, treatment of inflows, improvement in quality of lake water, protection of lakes and nalas in catchment areas and public awareness and stakeholders' participation. For the removal of floating material and shoreline cleaning, the authority would spend about Rs 1.45 crore, he said.

The metropolitan commissioner said that apart from sewage and other pollutants, large quantities of dry material like dried flowers, garlands, plastic and idols are being dumped in the lake. As part of removal of floating material and shoreline cleaning, 14 kms of shoreline have been divided into six sectors to enhance the level of cleaning and to have controlling, monitoring and accountability. Separate labour would take up the work.

"Floating material in the middle of the lake will be removed by pedal boats and motor boats. Similarly, hyacinth and algal blooms floating in the water will be handled through motor boats. All the material collected will be stocked at one place and transported in specially-engaged vehicles with dumper bins which will move continuously around the lake. Two sanitary inspectors or retired officers will be hired to monitor these works on a continuous basis," Neerabh Kumar Prasad said.

He said the authority has invited suggestions, comments and remarks on Hussainsagar cleaning from people via 'Neat and Clean Hussainsagar - Through People's Initiative'. People can send in their suggestions to hsclean@hmda.gov.in and can also share their views on www.facebook.com/hussainsagarcleaning.

On the Hussainsagar cleaning project being taken up with Rs 370 crore JICA funds, the metropolitan commissioner said treatment of inflows into the lake like interception and diversion structures, construction of sewage treatment plants and improvement of quality of lake water were being done.

Some works like construction of upgradation of STPs and aeration and oxidation works have been completed and some more works like dredging would be taken up soon.

[Gudavalli]

Elaborate efforts to clean Hussainsagar in Hyderabad

The entire 14 km of shoreline has been divided into sectors to enhance levels of cleaning while removal of floating material in the middle of the lake would be taken up with pedal and motor boats

To restore a highly polluted Hussainsagar to its pristine glory, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) has decided to go in for a revamped system of cleaning the water body.

Speaking to the presspersons here on Thursday, HMDA Commissioner Neerabh Kumar Prasad said the elaborate revamped system had been broken down into five major components.

These were removal of floating material and shoreline cleaning, treatment of inflows, improvement in quality of lake water, protection of lakes and nalas in catchment areas and lastly, public awareness and stakeholder participation.

The entire 14 km of shoreline has been divided into sectors to enhance levels of cleaning while removal of floating material in the middle of the lake would be taken up with pedal and motor boats.

I&D structures

The work on Interception and Diversion (I&D) structures and STPs was on to treat inflows into the lake and to improve the quality of lake water, the dredging of sediments at the mouths of nalas would commence shortly, he said.

There were about 80 lakes in the catchment area of Hussainsagar and it was proposed to take up their protection by categorising and prioritising them. Restoration of some important nalas leading to the water body was initiated and the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) was taking up protection works of some major nalas.

Public awareness

Mr.Prasad said efforts were being made on public awareness for restoration and protection of Hussainsagar and suggestions were invited on the mail-id ‘hsclean@hmda.gov.in’ and details were also made available on Facebook ‘www.facebook.com/hussiansagarcleaning’.

[p.raghavendra6]

So, anyone here giving any suggestions in the above links?

[Gudavalli]

HMDA: Elaborate Efforts to Clean Hussain Sagar (India)

The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) has decided to go in for a revamped system of cleaning the Hussain Sagar water body.
Speaking to the presspersons here on Thursday, HMDA Commissioner Neerabh Kumar Prasad said the elaborate revamped system had been broken down into five major components, reports thehindu.com.
“The work on Interception and Diversion (I&D) structures and STPs was on to treat inflows into the lake and to improve the quality of lake water, the dredging of sediments at the mouths of nalas would commence shortly,” he said.
There were about 80 lakes in the catchment area of Hussainsagar and it was proposed to take up their protection by categorising and prioritising them.

[Gudavalli]

Hussainsagar dredging to begin soon

PCB raises objection to proposal of hazardous material being dumped in Jawaharnagar

The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority has decided to use the services of Environmental Protection Training and Research Institute (EPTRI) in tackling the contentious issue of hazardous material to be dredged out of Hussainsagar lake.

As part of the lake cleaning project taken up with assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the HMDA will dredge the lake and shift sediments to the tune of 12 lakh tonne from close to the mouth of four nalas that join the water body.

It has been decided to shift the dredged material from three inlet points of Balkapur nala, Banjara nala and Picket nala to Jawaharnagar dump site.

However, the dredging and shifting of sediments from the confluence point of Kukatpally nala ran into issues after studies showed high presence of hazardous material here. A scrutiny of samples collected from this inlet threw up cadmium presence higher than permissible limits, attributed to the fact that inflows here were from the industrial areas.

The Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) raised objections on material dredged from here being dumped at Jawaharnagar site in view of the hazardous toxic metallic element presence.

The Authority would initially start the work on three inlets and take up the Kukatpally nala related work once the necessary modalities were worked out. The HMDA officials said that the necessary procedures would be put in place to verify the cadmium content and based on that, dumping site aspects attended to.

The help of EPTRI in the matter was being sought and possibilities being explored include developing a waste Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facility (TSDF) site by the HMDA for the purpose. “We will take their guidance in this purpose and the work taken up under the advice of the PCB,” an official said.

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Water level up in city reservoirs




Hyderabad: The city reservoirs received heavy inflows following heavy rainfall witnessed in the catchment area. Some of the streams could bring in the first flood run off of the year to the reservoirs under the influence of the downpour that lashed many pockets in Ranga Reddy district.

Areas like Vikarabad, Tandur, Chevella registered a rainfall of 18 cm to 20 cm. So is the case with Shankarpally, Shamshabad, Chelukur. The water level in Gandipet and Himayathsagar lakes rose considerably almost overnight. In Gandipet reservoir, the water was up by 4.5 feet and Himyathsagar witnessed a 2 feet rise.

The water level at Gandipet which was at 1,769 feet two days back, has now touched 1,790 feet. Officials said that due to the heavy rains, over 50 million gallons of water reached the city reservoirs thus easing the drinking water situation considerably.

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Hussainsagar filled to the brim in Hyderabad



The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has cautioned public representatives and advised people of four colonies abutting the Hussainsagar surplus nala to vacate immediately as the Hussainsagar Lake got filled till 513.64 ft as against the Full Tank Level (FTL) of 513.6 ft. on Monday.

Commissioner M.T. Krishna Babu also said that the long pending re-construction of Hussainsagar surplus weir and bridge with gate mechanism for 11 sluice gates opposite Hotel Marriot at a cost of Rs.30 crore has also been posed to the government along with the consultant reports.

The project once built would help regulate the outflow from the lake during heavy inflows as currently there was no such mechanism. The work was thought of after the August 2000 floods but was shelved for various reasons.


Repairs to ‘nalas’

He also stated that the government signal was awaited to take up storm water drains (‘nalas’) repairs or remodelling on the four major ones of Murki, Kukatpally, Balkapur and Hussainsagar surplus at a cost of Rs.483 crore. The work was placed in the 13 Finance Commission for funds and GHMC would bear the cost of relocation of people living alongside the drains.

For the second consecutive day, Mr. Krishna Babu inspected several flood hit areas of Tadbun, Roshan Colony, Shama Colony, Hasan Nagar, Bahadurpura, Kishan Bagh Nala, Mecca Colony and others, along with his senior staff.

Pointing out that narrow discharge points and encroachments were resulting in flooding, he said the difficulty was in convincing people to move out to safer places. For instance, Rs.12 crore sanctioned for widening the storm water drain from Nagamaiahkunta to Padma Colony was held up due to local issues.

Contractors reluctant

Contractors too were reluctant to bid for the same reason. Delayed billing was another issue and efforts were being made to sort it out between the finance and engineering wings.

For Murki nala, repairs were done for a stretch of four kilometre and Rs.1.12 crore cost estimates for 5.7 km repairs was also put up to the finance commission.

For Kukatpally nala, Rs.15 crore sanctioned by JICA was waiting to be spent as the affected families were refusing to shift.

Storm water drains were also being used as sewer lines in many places making them ineffective during a heavy rain.

Mr. Krishna Babu was, however, happy about steps being taken to protect lakes as Rs.25 crore had been sanctioned for the same. Ranga Reddy Collectorate had completed fixing of Full Tank Level (FTL) for 49 tanks. Both R.R. and Hyderabad Collectors were confident of fixing of FTLs for 25 tanks every three months so that all the 175 tanks were covered.

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Osmansagar, Himayatsagar gain good levels



The water crisis looming over the State capital has blown over, thanks to the recent torrential rains. Authorities at the Water Board are upbeat with the good inflows into the city’s principal reservoirs. Osmansagar has gained four feet water and with last month’s inflows the total goes up to 5.5 feet. The level in Himayatsagar too has gone up by 5.5 feet, including two and half feet in the last two days.

In fact the Board was preparing to instal two pumps of 100 HP capacity in Osmansagar and one pump of 300 HP in Himayatsagar. But with the recent downpour the Board has shelved the plans. Even the one pump installed earlier to pump water through the six mgd conduit to Asifngagar filters has been stopped from Sunday.

Natural gravity

“There is no need to pump water. It is now flowing by natural gravity,” said Adhar Sinha, Managing Director, HMWSSB.

Residents in areas served by Osmansagar and Himayatsagar can heave a sigh of relief as the water supplied to them will not be affected by power cuts.

Earlier, they used to get reduced water due to frequent power cuts. With water now flowing through gravity this problem is taken care of.

Groundwater level up

There is also a sharp fall in the number of water tankers supplied by the Board after Friday’s heavy rain. The downpour has also helped charge the groundwater. The pizometers installed at Khairatabad, Ameerpet, Musheerabad, Himayatnagar and Shaikpet have registered a significant rise in the groundwater level.

However, in Asifnagar, Bahadurpura, Charminar, Saidabad, Nampally and Marredpally there is marginal rise in the groundwater level. “With the recent rains the groundwater level has almost reached the level prevailing in June last year,” Mr. Adhar Sinha said.

[Gudavalli]

Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, Water Board under fire for dying Banjara lake

HYDERABAD: A day after the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) issued a showcause notice to Taj Banjara for discharging sewage into the Banjara lake, civil society groups demanded similar action against the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply & Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB).

These groups on Monday said that the government departments too were equally responsible for the death of the water body that was once spread over an area of more than one kilometre.

The lake has now shrunk due to continuous exploitation and has reduced to a marshy patch of land.

"If the GHMC laid a concrete slab on the lake bed (that suppressed fresh water springs), the Water Board erected some permanent structures on it for sewerage diversions. These structures are non-functional, only adding to the mess.

"As the sewage now has no outlet, it is collecting in one place and turning the area into a filthy swamp," said Jasveen Jairath, founder convener of Save Our Urban Lakes (Soul), who attended the meeting with PCB officials last week where officials of Taj Banjara were called for questioning.

In response to Water Board's notice, officials of the star facility on Monday assured the PCB that it would construct a sewage treatment plant (STP) on its premises by the end of this financial year. It claimed that the liquid waste treated in this STP would be reused by the hotel for purposes such as gardening and in toilets.

This would ensure that no sewerage is dumped into the adjoining lake, the response stated. Taj Banjara generates about 150 kilolitres (kl) of sewage on an average.

While refusing to comment on the issue of nailing the GHMC and HMWS&SB, PCB officials said that further action would be taken after scrutinizing the hotel's reply.

"If the response is satisfactory, we will rest the matter or else levy a penalty and might even issue closure order if the violations are not addressed," a senior official said.

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Efforts on to save catchment areas in Hyderabad

Copious inflows into the city’s main drinking water sources, Osmansagar and Himayagsagar, have cheered everyone. But few seem to be bothered about the structures coming up in the catchment areas of the reservoirs. Farm houses, resorts and habitats in close proximity to the lakes are not only contaminating them but are acting as stumbling blocks in free flow of water.

During a recent inspection, Water Board officials stumbled upon a farm house under construction at Khanapur village in Rajendranagar mandal – very close to the Osmansagar FTL.

Officials found the compound wall being constructed by raising the ground level through filling of gravel. The structure doesn’t have a No Objection certificate from the HMWSSB or the HMDA, just permission from the Khanapur sarpanch.

The Board has dashed off letters to the Ranga Reddy district Collector and the HMDA for initiating necessary action. A worried Board has decided to constitute a Land Protection Cell to address the problem and safeguard the catchment areas.

The Osmansagar catchment comprising Vikarabad, Shankerpally, Appajiguda, Mahajanpet, Chandangar, Khanapur, Janwada, Reddypally, Kollur is spread over 280 sq. miles. The Himayatsagar spread over 500 sq. miles covers Pargi, Venkatapuram, Shamshabad and other areas. The former has the maximum capacity of 1.05 lakh cusecs and the latter 1.60 lakh cusecs.

At Mokila village in Janwada a construction company has built a temporary ramp over the pipeline, which might damage it. Notice is being issued to the construction company.

Pollution

As per rules polluting industries, major hotels, residential colonies and other establishments are banned in the catchment of the lakes up to 10 km from the FTL. However, in the residential use zone development is allowed subject to certain conditions.

A total of 84 villages fall within 10 km catchment area of Osmansagar and Himayatsagar in the mandals of Moinabad, Shamshabad, Shabad, Kothur, Rajendranar, Shankerpally and Chevella.

However, authorities admit to pollution of the two lakes through sewage from the surrounding villages. The waste generated by the poultry farms and resorts and the pesticides used by farmers for cultivation all join the water body during the rainy season.

Last year the Board’s CGMs submitted a detailed report after inspecting the catchment areas suggesting provision of safe sanitation facilities by construction of septic tanks in the villages. They further wanted fencing of the area to stop unauthorised entry and encroachment of the lakes. But so far no action is taken.

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Activists lash out at government for vanishing water bodies




Hyderabad had water bodies spread over 3,245 hectares just 12 years ago, they say

There is a direct link between the vanishing lakes and tanks and the submersion of the city every time the sky opens up. Over the years a number of water bodies have been gobbled up, exposing the residents to loss and destruction.

Just 12 years ago Hyderabad had water bodies spread over 3,245 hectares, about ten times the size of the Hussainsagar. In 1964, roughly 2.5 per cent of the geographical area was covered by water bodies and now it is reduced to just 1.5 per cent. If properly managed and rejuvenated, they can store more water than what is now being supplied from the Krishna.

Startling revelations

These startling facts are contained in the study made by the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The two-volume book titled “Excreta matters” covering 71 cities was released by the Municipal Administration Minister, M. Maheedhar Reddy, at the Administrative Staff College of India here on Wednesday.

Through slides, Nitya Jacob of CSE explained how inter connecting channels helped the flow of water from one tank to another. But all these were blocked in Hyderabad, some by the golf course at Golconda.

Urban India, he said, was bursting at the seams with the attendant problems of growing water scarcity and pollution. The inequitable distribution of water between the urban and rural areas was causing serious conflicts. The dependence on groundwater had made India the ‘tubewell capital of the world’.

Anjal Prakash and Jasveen Jairath gave a prescription for ‘killing a lake’. In a hard-hitting presentation they said how the wrong policies of the government had resulted in lakes giving way to housing colonies. Even government institutions had come up plonk on lake beds!

Through a slide Dr. Jairath showed how a mud road bisects the Kapra lake.

She charged the government with succumbing to influence by corporate bodies and real estate lobbyists. She wanted protection of lakes and ponds for future water security.

However, in his speech Mr. Maheedhar Reddy cleverly put the ball into the people’s court.

He blamed the people for looking the other way when there were encroachments and suddenly crying foul when affected by rain. “What can the government do. We are one among you,” he remarked.

“Officials have been instructed to take stern action against encroachers. You will see the results soon,” the Minister said.

Musi rejuvenation

He said a Rs. 922.97-crore project was being sanctioned for the rejuvenation of Musi river to bring relief to people downstream. Phase III of the Krishna drinking water project would be launched soon and completed within one and half years. Efforts were also on to get 10 tmcft water to the city from Godavari, the Minister said.

He admitted failure on the part of the government in monitoring rain harvesting pits by individuals. Now the government would install the pits in colonies where people had paid for the same.

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Hyderabadis for stench-free Hussain Sagar lake

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/hyderabad...35-62-131.html

Hyderabad: Statues in Hussain Sagar lake to be fished out

Hyderabad: The Department of Culture started a project to fish out parts of the 12 bronze statues vandalised and dumped into the Hussain Sagar at Tank Bund during Million March programme in March 2010 by pro-Telangana activists. After 28 months of the incident, the government wrote a letter to Indian Navy asking for its assistance in the project.
“We have also got the reply from Navy. They will start the project within 10 days,” said RV Prasad Rao, director of the Department of Culture. We started the project as prices of bronze have gone up in the market, he added. The department will collect the parts and will submit it before the government. “Later, we may decide on their reuse for making bronze tools for the government,” he said.
However, shreds of the vandalised statues will not be used for reinstallation of the 12 statues at Tank Bund as contracts for the same had already been given to a West Godavari-based sculptor, Aruna Prasad Vudayar, in October 2010.

Aruna got the contract for Rs 47.5 lakh and was given a six-month deadline to finish the work. He has completed 80 percent of the work and will finish the rest in the next two months, said Aruna.
At present, bronze cost around Rs 350 a kg in the market. Each vandalised statues weighed around 600 kg which put the total weight of 12 statues at 7,200 kg having a market value of around Rs 25.7 lakh.

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HMDA rethinking Hussainsagar clean-up with an eye on Convention on Biodiversit 11

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/15346208.cms

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Hussainsagar to become sewage-free

HMDA has been working on diverting sewage inflows apart from industrial effluents

Having taken up the initiative to clean Hussainsagar lake, the more than 400-year-old water body in the heart of the city polluted badly in last few decades, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) has been working at diverting the sewage inflows.
Apart from industrial effluents, the sewage inflows from different inlets has been a major problem for the lake which was constructed in the year 1562 to cater irrigation needs of the then city.

For sewage diversion, the HMDA has been working out a 1,600 mm ring sewer main running to a length of 2.5 kms from Necklace Road to opposite the Sailors Club. This part of the diversion initiative mainly looks at preventing Kukatpally nala inflows from entering the lake.


Another part has been the Balanagar sewage trunk main of 1,400 mm dia which is 4.85 km long from the confluence point of Jeedimetla and Kukatpally nala to ring sewer at Necklace Road. The direct trunk main at Rangadhamini of a length 1.15 km also form part of the project.

The sewage treatment plants (STPs) for the Hussain Sagar cleaning include one with 30 MLD capacity at Picket Nala opposite KIMS Hospital for tertiary treatment and 20 MLD on Balkapur nala adjacent to Khairatabad flyover which is upgraded for tertiary level with membrane treatment.

While the HMDA is looking at dredging of sediments at the inlets to check the effects of industrial effluents, protection of all the water bodies that fall in the catchment area of the lake has been envisaged.

A total of 80 lakes have been identified in the entire catchment area which is spread over a wide area including the locations of Balanagar, Bowenpally, Qutbullahpur, Jeedimetla, Alwal, Yousufguda and Kukatpally.

According to HMDA officials, for purpose of protection, these lakes were divided into those with a spread of over 10 hectares, below 10 hectares and those below 10 hectares but were found to be prone for encroachments.

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Hyderabad: Making sculptures out of metal scrap

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/hyderabad...67-62-131.html

Sculpture Park to reflect biodiversity

http://www.thehansindia.info/News/Ar...ontentId=78637

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Art from trash to adorn city parks

Burnt wheel, rusted bolt, discarded gear rod and boxes that have been thrown away may be categorised as ‘junk’, but not so if they can be combined ingeniously and transformed into beautiful creatures, including those that are known through fossils, sending across a strong message on biodiversity. Scrap material fashioned into art objects at a national workshop are mesmerising those who view with interest. “These are the creative outputs of our own talent.



The idea behind this is to showcase our artistic genius to the world,” say the people behind these enthralling pieces of art. These are products of a national workshop involving JNTU University Fine Arts College, with support from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (which generates a large amount of scrap material).

The workshop began on 23rd July, 2012. Students from various universities and sculptors from across the country, with a background in fine arts, are creating various types of art objects, specifically relating to biodiversity, to enhance public awareness. Nearly 52 biodiversity themes have been created by the students and the sculptures would be completed in about a week.

At the RTC’s scrap depot in Boduppal, which has become the focal point of the workshop, artists, sculptors and students are participating enthusiastically and developing their ideas to come up with stunning art works. The camp was headed by Ramana Reddy, a Hyderabad-based artist of world renown.

S Majid Hussain, GHMC Mayor and MT Krishna Babu, GHMC Commissioner, visited the workshop on Monday. Hussain said that the sculptures being manufactured in the workshop had a perfect message: “to utilise the resources left for us”. He appreciated the artists and the students of JNTU Fine Arts for creating something new out of scrap.



The Commissioner said that a workshop on stone sculpture would open on 8th August, 2012 on the premises of JNTU at Masab Tank. The workshop would be held for one month, involving artists and sculptors from various parts of the country.

Srinivas Reddy, principal of JNTU University and chairman of the Technical Committee on beautification, thanked GHMC for its support. He said that the works would not be affected by elements and could last for fifteen to twenty years. All the art objects would be installed at major parks of the city.

[World8115]

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