HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) has announced that it will undertake a continuous lake-cleaning operation for the next three years to restore the visual appeal of Hussainsagar lake and rid it of floating waste, plastics and other solid debris. The HMDA will employ agencies for removal and transportation of waste along the shoreline and water spread of the lake.
The total shoreline length of 14.7 km, covering Tank Bund Road, NTR Marg, Necklace Road, Sanjeevaiah Park, Sailors Club and other stretches, has been divided into two sectors.
The lake has a water spread area of 4.7 sq km. Inflow nalas carry floating matter such as water hyacinth, duck weed and plastics, along with waste like pooja materials dumped by visitors along the shoreline.
Sector-I stretches from Tank Bund, Sagar Park, BPP, Lumbini, NTR Marg, Rotary, Bridge-1, Siddhartha Pond, Balkapur nala up to I&D weir, People’s Plaza, Bridge-2, Bridge-3 up to Jalvihar, covering 6.47 km. Sector-II stretches from Jalvihar, Agaram Poochiah, Bridge-4, PV Ghat, Sanjeevaiah Park, Bridge-5 up to Picket nala I&D, Buddha Bhavan, workshops, sailing clubs, surplus weir and Bathukamma Ghat, covering 8.25 km.
Sources said HMDA will engage 40 unskilled labourers for Sector-I at a cost of `3.22 crore and 50 labourers for Sector-II at a cost of `3.89 crore for three years. The labourers will remove weeds, debris and other floating waste on a daily basis.
Four inflow channels — Banjara nala, Balkapur nala, Picket nala and Kukatpally nala — bring floating waste into the lake. HMDA has also procured two Dredge Utility Crafts for removal of floating matter within the lake.
Five pedal boats with three labourers per boat will be deployed to collect stacked floating material at designated points along the shoreline.