Study finds environmental quality better on outskirts of Hyderabad

Hyderabad: The study on the city’s environmental conditions noticed that the overall environmental quality was still intact on the outskirts of GHMC where urban growth was not yet intense due to the presence of higher green cover.

The study was conducted by Dr N. Ratnam Kinthada of the School of Earth and Atmosph-eric Sciences, Adikavi Nannaya University, Mr B.L. Deekshatulu, distinguished fellow, IDRBT, and Mr Murali Krishna Gurram, head of GIS and technology and applications at a private company, Xinthe Technologies of Visakhapatnam.

City based environmentalist Prof. Purushottam Reddy said, “Improper land use pattern and regular fouling of the master plan of Hyderabad are a major reason why the environmental quality has degraded so much in the city.

Playgrounds, parks and water bodies have vanished. Whatever areas have been categorized as 'good' in the research will also soon be lost if the government continues to toy with the master plan.” The previous batch of GHMC corporators spent just Rs 239 crore of Rs 690 crore in development of the city in their five-year term.

GHMC commissioner B. Janardhan Reddy said, “The first thing we will be aiming for is to ensure that 50 per cent of the sewage water which is not being treated now gets treated, this will reduce water pollution.

Apart from this 169 identified water bodies will be protected with fencing, preventing further encroachments, and also the green cover will also be increased. This year we plan to plant 80 lakh saplings as part of Telangana ku Haritha Haaram. We are also working in coordination with the Pollution Control Board.”