Hyderabad High Court seeks phase-wise plan to clean up lakes

Hyderabad: Directives given by the Hyderabad High Court are the last hope of cleaning and reviving the polluted lakes in the twin cities.    

The High Court has directed the Hyderabad Metropolitan Authority (HMDA) and the Pollution Control Board to prepare a phase wise plan to rejuvenate the heavily polluted lakes.

The High Court has been dealing with the cases pertaining to illegal encroachment and pollution of Durgam Cheruvu, Kapra Lake, Malkam Cheruvu and also inaction of the authorities in allowing unauthorised constructions in Himayathsagar and Osmansagar reservoirs.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Thottathil B. Radhakrishnan and Justice S.V. Bhatt while dealing with the case of Malkam Cheruvu told the HMDA to study the feasibility of using Geotube Dewatering Technology to treat the polluted water of the lakes. This technology works in three stages: containment, dewatering and consolidation.

In this method sewage is  placed in geotextile bags  to evaluate the dewatering and consolidation capabilities of large geotextile tubes and effluent water quality.

A proposed test method of A testing method adopted by the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) for determining the flow rate of suspended solids from a geotextile containment system for dredged material was used to conduct tests to determine the efficiency of different combinations of geotextile filters. As water passes through the geotextile tube, samples are collected during, immediately after and daily for several weeks to determine the total percentage of suspended solids (TSS), heavy metals, and bacterial count.

The quality of pore water or effluent passing through the geotextile container systems proved to be environmentally acceptable for discharge into the water bodies or return to the treatment plant. The test results indicated a significant reduction in the sludge volume in the geotextile tube.

The High Court told the authorities that the Geotube Dewatering Technology costs less than other technologies being used to treat polluted water.

While pulling up the authorities for their inaction in protecting the lakes, the bench directed them to  clean up 10 lakes in each phase.

With the serious intervention of the court the authorities have identified the following for the first phase of the clean up: Lotus Pond, Pedda Cheruvu of Khajaguda and Nacharam, Miralam Tank, and Rangadhamuni Tank at Kukatpally.

The bench directed the state pollution control board to collect the water samples from the five lakes and place the test reports before it.

The High Court has made it clear that its endeavour is to restore and clean up the lakes and is not aimed at beautification.

The bench directed the HMDA to submit the satellite images of the above five lakes along with another five lakes.

The court also laid emphasis on restoration of the River Musi instead of wasting time beautifying it. It also directed the civic authorities to initiate penal action against the polluters of the river.

Anjana Sinha, IPS, who moved the High Court to protect Malkam Cheruvu has witnessed its gradual destruction. Pretending they are restoring and developing the lake, the irrigation and municipal authorities of TS are allowing the construction of huge concrete structures with stone walls inside the lake, she said.