Hyderabad Flooding Blamed on Nalas Blocked by Garbage

 Hyderabad: Flooding in Hyderabad is often attributed to macro factors like changing climatic conditions, and societal factors like unplanned city expansion and encroachment of rainwater drainage systems. However, the role of individuals in making the city flood prone by blocking nalas by dumping garbage mostly goes unnoticed.

In an interview with the Deccan Chronicle, retired GHMC Chief Engineer Kishan said residents living near rainwater drainage channels (nalas) dispose of garbage, including broken furniture, into these nalas, leading to blockages. People view the nalas as convenient dumping grounds, resulting in clogging, overflow, and flooding during heavy rains.

Apart from households, petty traders, such fruit sellers, eateries among others, having stalls in the Musi dump rotten fruits and other waste in the river. Residents throw discarded household items in a nala that flows through Talab Katta in the Old City.

The five key reasons for the recurring flooding, according to him, are changing meteorological conditions, unregulated construction across the city, which causes rainwater to flow directly into drains and nalas, encroachment on nalas, disposal of garbage into nalas, and the failure to separate domestic sewage from stormwater.

To prevent future flooding, the retired officer offered several recommendations based on his experience, which include enhancing the city's greenery and adopting the "Sponge City" concept, which allows water to get percolated to ground.

He suggested that every house should have a rainwater harvesting pit, and porous concrete roads should be laid across the GHMC region, particularly in parks and open grounds.

The expert also called for widening of nalas, and development of alternative drainage systems for stormwater.

"Of the total 300 kilometres of drainage network, around 100 kilometers of lake connectivity has been completed in SNDP Phase 1. The second phase, which requires around Rs 600 crores, is still in the planning stage."

Speaking about the changing rainfall pattern in Telangana, meteorologist Mansabdar Mukunda said, "The average monsoon rainfall in Hyderabad is about 76 cm over a period of 100 days, during which the rains used to occur uniformly. However, over the past decade or more, we've been seeing continuous rainfall — sometimes 5 to 8 cm each day for seven consecutive days — which has significantly intensified the situation."