Colony residents strive to revive dying Kudikunta Lake in Hyderabad

62 families of the colony have decided to ask GHMC to get their sewage line rerouted
Colony residents strive to revive dying Kudikunta Lake in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD:  In an attempt to undo the damage caused to Kudikunta lake, the residents of Fortune Nest Colony at Masjid Banda are planning to pay Rs 30 lakh to HMWSSB and GHMC to divert their colony sewage line that opens into the lake.   After having discussions for the last two months, some 62 families residing in the colony have decided to reach out to the GHMC and to get their sewage line rerouted. The new sewage line will link them to the main drain, which passes through Masjid Banda main road. 

The move came up after GHMC officials and some city-based NGOs sensitised the people about how the colonies in the city with their illegal sewage lines are damaging the lakes, which is also giving rise to mosquito menace. “When we purchased our flat the lake was pristine and beautiful. We were completely unaware that our sewage line will cause damage to the lake and so we are planning to undo the damage,” said Srikanth Mandava, a resident of the colony. 

“We did a mapping of the lake and found 13 inlets of untreated sewage lines opening into the lake,”  said Kalpana Ramesh, a member of the Society for Advancement of Human Endeavour (SAHE), an NGO, that is helping the community to conserve the lakes. After the diversion of colony sewage line, at least 1,86,00 litres of sewage, that gets collected by the colony alone will get diverted. 

While applauding the move, GHMC officials said that this is the result of continuous pressure and sensitisation. “Several colonies have illegally connected sewage lines to the lakes. However, we are trying to sensitise and ask them not add to pollution to the lake,” said D Hari Chandana, GHMC Zonal Commissioner.

Meanwhile, some other colonies in Nallagandla are also undertaking similar steps. “For colonies with more than 100 units, have to set up an STP that treats the sewage and drain out the water. 
For lesser unit apartments, they must pay a drainage cess to the HMWSSB and ensure their sewage is going into a legal line and treated in main drains,” Hari Chandana said.

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