Telangana: GO 111 restrictions removed for 84 villages

Hyderabad: The Telangana State government on Wednesday issued an order to remove restrictions pertaining to a government order (G.O.) 111, dated March 8, 1996.

The restrictions were removed, subject to the condition that the water quality of these Osmansagar and Himayatsagar, would not be impacted in any manner.

The TRS-led government had earlier on April 12 released another GO, numbered 69, which would be applicable for 84 villages (1.32 lakh acres), which are under the purview of GO 111.

The state government, in its new order today, said that considering the fact that Hyderabad city’s drinking water requirements were no longer dependent on Osmansagar and Himayatsagar reservoirs, which was the underlying reason for the issuance of GO 111, it was no longer relevant.

The government said that the GO 111, dated March 8, 1996, was issued to prohibit polluting industries, major hotels, residential colonies and other establishments that generate pollution in the catchment area of Osmansagar and Himayatsagar reservoirs, up to 10  kms from the full rank level (FTL), covering 84 villages with an area of nearly 1.32 lakh acres.

This was done with an objective of protecting the catchment area of these two reservoirs which were the main source of drinking water to Hyderabad city at that time.

However, as per the details furnished by the HMWSSB, these two reservoirs are now accounting for 27.59 per cent of installed capacity of drinking water, when the GO 111 was issued.

However, since the total installed capacity of drinking water for Hyderabad has grown up from 145 Mgd to 602 Mgd, and an additional 344 million gallons a day (MGD) is also under execution, as a result drawals dependability of these reservoirs is less than 1.25 per cent.

These two reservoirs are no longer the source of drinking water supply to Hyderabad city. Citing this as the reason, the government removed the restrictions on GO 111.

With the restrictions removed, the government would now be able to take up installation of a decentralised sewerage treatments plants (STPs) at various locations.

The government can also undertake the construction of diversion channels for carrying treated water, without letting it into these two reservoirs, as long as it can maintain groundwater quality, minimise pollution through agricultural surface run-off into these two reservoirs and any other measures as deemed appropriate to ensure the quality of water.

The government has constituted a committee, headed by Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar and special chief secretary Arvind Kumar, special chief secretary (finance) K. Ramakrishna Rao, special chief secretary (I&CAD)  Rajat Kumar, Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) and others.

The Terms of Reference (ToR) of the committee are to suggest measures for protection and preventions of pollution to these two reservoirs, to suggest broad guidelines for zoning including earmarking of green zones.

The panel will also suggest modalities for development of trunk infrastructure in this area, and suggest means to mobilise resources for taking up trunk infrastructure i.e., roads, major drains, STPs, diversion drains etc., among others.

Taking these factors into consideration, the government has asked the committee to submit a report at the earliest.