Leak drains hit GHMC

Hyderabad: The GHMC headquarters off Tank Bund is enveloped in a cloud of nauseating smell from the Hussainsagar, and foam is flying off the drain that runs past it.

DC reader Tanmay Sharma, who has seen the foam flying on to the road for two years, questioned the sincerity of officials who have ignored the problem for long.

“The accumulated foam containing chemical effluents flew on to the road with the heavy breeze. Why were things allowed to come such a pass,” he said. 

Lake protection expert B.V. Subba Rao said the foam was not an overnight phenomenon but had its roots in the decision to allow highly toxic industrial effluents into nalas. The sewage flow has increased eight times in the intervening years, he said. “The froth is because of filamentous blue-green bacteria that can cause life-threatening diseases, including skin infections and respiratory problems,” he said.

The highly contaminated water ought to be treated by installing sewerage treatment plants at every industry, he said. 

A Sewerage Board official said the foam had formed near the GHMC headquarters due to industrial effluents. He said installing more STPs would minimise the problem.