Lakes in many parts of the city, including Kamuni Cheruvu in Moosapet, Fox Sagar Lake in Kompally, Neknampur Lake near Manikonda among others are heavily covered in hyacinth.
Hyderabad: Hyderabad’s lakes are increasingly being swallowed by thick mats of water hyacinth, turning once-open waters into green, stagnant stretches that breed mosquitoes and pose serious health risks to residents nearby. Despite residents notifying Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), the body appears largely inactive in clearing the hyacinth and controlling the mosquito menace.
Lakes in many parts of the city, including Kamuni Cheruvu in Moosapet, Fox Sagar Lake in Kompally, Neknampur Lake near Manikonda among others are heavily covered in hyacinth. The weed has spread across large surface areas of the lake, stalling water flow and creating perfect conditions for mosquitoes to breed.
Manikanta, a resident of Raghavendra Colony near Kamuni Cheruvu, said “Almost 50-60 per cent of the lake is now covered with the weeds. Every evening the mosquitoes swarm over the lake, and it genuinely gets scary to live here. We have complained to GHMC many times, but nothing seems to change.”
Residents near Neknampur lake also described a similar plight. “Both the Neknampur lake and Ibrahim lake are breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Both are covered in deep hyacinth, which is blocking the lake’s flow, causing the water to become stagnant. The smell is also unpleasant”, said Srikanth Yadav, a local resident.
“Whenever we complained, officials used to come and spray disinfectants into the lake. But nothing is being done to remove the hyacinth, which is causing all of this problem. No one from the authorities has explained why nothing is being done about that,” he said.
The problem is not restricted to smaller lakes. Durgam Cheruvu, located in the heart of the city and a favourite spot for visitors and onlookers, has seen more than half of its surface swallowed by hyacinth. Visitors complain of strong odours and reduced water quality, yet clean-up efforts are absent.
Despite repeated public complaints, GHMC has remained largely silent on the crisis. Although there have been initiatives to clear hyacinth using floating trash collectors and drones before, citizens and local residents said that none of these are being implemented on ground. GHMC officials have not responded to Deccan Chronicle’s calls about the issue.
