Hyderabad: While the state government has decided to build a sewerage network costing Rs 3,100 crore in the peripheral areas, it is ignoring the sewer network in the core city which was laid way back in 1931.
Poor sewerage control has led to groundwater contamination, drain water stagnating on roads, breeding of mosquitoes and pollution of Musi river. Sewerage treatment plants (STPs) have not been set up, and recycling of water is not being done.
The board admits that the sewer network covers only 70 per cent of the core city, the erstwhile MCH area, and about 40 per cent of the suburbs. It can treat just about 50 per cent of the sewage outflow with the help of three STPs. Recycling of sewage is at the proposal stage.
According highly placed sources, there more than 1,000 sewage leakage/ flow points which causing inconvenience throughout the year. Of these, 350 are in the Old City. Even in Secunderabad, sewerage leaks regularly on the Panty Centre-Bata showroom stretch, Rail Nilayam-Mettuguda road, Monda Market, Gandhinagar, Kavadiguda, Ranigunj and other areas.
Several proposals were sent to the state government and a detail project report was prepared for a Rs 1,200 crore to improve the sewerage network in the Old City. This did not find favour, and the government is focusing on the peripheral areas.
The sewage network was developed in 1931 for a population five lakh over a 54-sq. km area, and major remodelling was done in the early 90s in the core city. The network totalling 3,500 km needs a major overhaul.
A senior Sewerage Board official said that the board had a master plan for the core city but its execution was slow due to lack of funds.
“Of late, there is a growing feeling among senior officials that the government should help HMWS&SB to build a proper underground sewerage system for better hygiene and sanitation,” he said.
The official hinted that the government might take up modernisation of the sewer network post elections.
