Hyderabad: “All the polluting inflows can be diverted and intercepted by creating a system studied topographically at all three nalas. These inflows can be allowed to flow into downstream areas of Hussainsagar which will enter the Amber-pet sewage treatment system before ultimately flowing into the Musi River basin,” T. Hanumanth Rao, retired engineer-in-chief of state Irrigation department and consultant for United Nations.
About refilling the lake, he said, “It would take place through the monsoon inflows along the catchment area of the lake spread across 280 sq. km across the twin cities.”
Control of inflows crucial to project
Hussainsagar currently has three STPs (Sewerage Treatment Plants) and everyday 50 MLD of treated water is released from these STPs into the tank.
However only 35 MLD enters the lake in order to maintain the lake balance while the remaining 15 MLD is sold to other agencies like the Railways and used by the BBP.
Experts say that the two outlets at Marriott hotel and BBP office, Tank Bund should be reconstructed to withstand the million liters of water being flushed out of the tank while emptying it.
S. Jeevanand Reddy said, “De-watering the tank cannot be done in the stipulated time frame of six months, the discharge will take several months as the outlets are designed to withstand a certain outflow . The first step should be to block all the nalas, big and small.”
“Firstly there should be control on the waste water flowing into the lake not just from the four important nalas but from the small drains that flow unchecked from the slum area directly into the lake,” added experts.
