Canals along Naya Qila ‘brimming’ with toxic froth

A look at the golf course, which is located beside the Naya Qila area of Golconda Fort, shows that it is bordered with a five-feet wide canal.
Naya Qila channels froth with polluted water coming from Shah Hatim Talab. (Photo | EPS)
Naya Qila channels froth with polluted water coming from Shah Hatim Talab. (Photo | EPS)

HYDERABAD: The canals along the Naya Qila golf course, which was built as a measure to provide an exit flow for water overflowing from Shah Hatim Talab, is now brimming with toxic foam, making lives of residents who live along the canal hazardous.

A look at the golf course, which is located beside the Naya Qila area of Golconda Fort, shows that it is bordered with a five-feet wide canal.

From last week Sunday, foamy toxic effluents from the Shah Hatim Talab have been flowing past the golf course. It is important to note that these canals are connected to the Langar Houz lake, and very possibly could be polluting it further. 

The issue was brought to light by heritage and Waqf activist Mohammed Habeebuddin, who said, “This has been going on since last Sunday. The problem is that Shah Hatim Talab is extremely polluted —which is what is flowing over here.”

Drains feed into the ancient Shah Hatim Talab which was a major water source for the Qutub Shahis in the past. It is now also a dumping ground for animal remains, construction debris and human waste.

“The canals had been built because, every year during monsoon, the lake overflows. It also overflows because the lake has shrunk over time due to encroachment,” he added. 

“The area around Shah Hatim Talab is most unhygienic for residents. People have often complained to officials, but no action has been taken,” he added. 

The sighting of froth and foams in the lakes of Hyderabad is not new. Recently, activists raised the issue of foam in Hussain Sagar during a hearing at the National Green Tribunal.

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