Hyderabad: Stink is party pooper

Hyderabad: While the Necklace Road and the Tank Bund stretch will witness various events such as the 10K run, book fair and pre New Year bash soon, participants will have to put up with the stench of the Hussainsagar.

While the smell is common during summer, surprisingly it has increased over the last one week with even the colonies surrounding Hussainsagar complaining about the stench. The HMDA meanwhile charges more than Rs 45,000 per day for events on Necklace Road.

The smell is particularly bad around the tank in the morning and later in the day at People’s Plaza, Liberty statue, Kukatpally nala on Necklace road, the outlet opposite Marriott Hotel, and Buddha Purnima office where there is another outlet.

Ms Carren Fernandez, a tourist who was staying opposite Hussainsagar wrote in the feedback book: “ One cannot spend more time near the lake due to the foul smell. We could not even take a boat ride due the smell...”

Mr Sandeep Kumar, a morning walker at the tank said, “The smell stays till the sun is high. Breathing becomes tough while walking or jogging due to the smell. Many a times I have vomited due to the foul smell and after the walk I feel sick.”

Dr W.G. Prasanna Kumar, professor of climate and disaster management, said , “In winters the air is still and the stink does not get dispersed. In winter, the air remains 3-4 feet above the ground level and does not travel long distances. As long as there’s dirty water in the lake, the smell will stay.”

Chemical discharge, dip in water level causing stink

Decreasing water levels, no outflow, and discharge of sewage and chemical effluents are the reason for the Hussainsagar smelling awful. The Kukatpally nala has still not been diverted because the project’s last phase, at Necklace Road, is pending. It was supposed to be completed by July but has been delayed by four months. The HMDA claims that there is zero discharge of untreated water from the three nalas except from Kukatpally nala.

An official at the Buddha Purnima Wing of HMDA said, “Owing to the Kukatpally diversion works, the sluices opposite the Marriott Hotel nala have been closed for months. There is no outflow, thus the stagnated water is smelling. Secondly, the water level has decreased by two meter, this has been informed to the Chief Minister as well. However, there is no floating material as all the waste has been collected and disposed.

“There is no movement of water, treated water is being pumped in everyday. Also there haven’t been any recent rains to increase the water levels; the downpour in October brought along a lot of slush from the upstream as well.”

S.B Reddy, a former employee of the Pollution control Board, said, “During winter, especially in the morning hours, there is very little air circulation and gases, including vehicle pollution, settle at the lake level. Its only when the sun is well up that the air circulation begins. Thus during winter air pollution is higher and the smell lingers longer.”

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