Polluted water affects many free ranging animals in the zoo
Polluted water from the Mir Alam tank has become a serious cause of concern for the Hyderabad Zoo authorities, especially during the monsoons.
Hyderabad: Polluted water from the Mir Alam tank has become a serious cause of concern for the Hyderabad Zoo authorities, especially during the monsoons. Water from the lake seeps into small water bodies in the zoo. This affects the many free ranging animals in the zoo, especially spotted deer, which are more than 300 in number, who drink the water.
A senior zoo official said, “There is a risk that the free ranging animals that consume this polluted water might contract some communicable disease. If an outbreak occurs among the animals there are high chances that it might spread to the animals in enclosures and result in large scale deaths.” Polluted water of the Mir Alam Tank also seeps into the moats of the animal enclosures. This becomes a risk for animals like tigers and crocodiles, which enter the moats often. The main source of pollution in Mir Alam tank, as per the Telangana State Pollution Control Board, is the Noor Mohammad Kunta tank, which is polluted by effluents from industries located in the Kattedan industrial area. Sewage water is also let into the lake.
Excess water from NMK drains into Shivrampally Lake and further into Mir Alam tank. Even effluents from small industrial units releasing hazardous waste located in the vicinity of Mir Alam Tank, and sewerage from nearby areas, is let into the tank directly.
While shifting of industries from Kattedan is pending for more than two decades, there has also been no increase in the capacities of the Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) located at Mir Alam Tank and Noor Mohammad Kunta.
A recently conducted water quality test by the TSPCB revealed that the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) level in Mir Alam tank was as high as 28mg/L, while at NMK it was 32mg/L whereas the acceptable standard is 3mg/L.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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