‘If GO 111 goes, buildings will fall, wells will go dry’
HYDERABAD: A dystopian prediction is being made for Hyderabad with the government scrapping GO 111 which used to forbid the construction of buildings in the buffer zone of the two major reservoirs in Hyderabad — Osmansagar and Himayatsagar.The predictions include the collapse of buildings, borewells going dry throughout the year, the rise in mean temperatures and the occurrence of flash floods, according to the People’s Committee of Scientific Leaders which met here on Friday.
Retired Chief Scientist of NGRI Dr B Rama Lingeswara Rao who is also one of the three scientists who constituted the people’s committee explained how any heavy concretisation of the catchment will fail for sure as these areas would become “pedi-plains”, extensive plain formed by the coalescence of pediments.
“There is a process called ‘Liquified Potential Zone’ which occurs during earthquakes, which basically means land up to 50 metre deep will turn watery because of the seismic movements during a quake. As per my analysis the areas in the buffer zone of these two reservoirs are highly prone to this and any quake more than 6 on the Richter scale can lead the building to either fall or tilt or be damaged,” explained Dr Rao. The committee also has Dr K Babu Rao and Sagar Dhara as members and the trio will prepare a report on possible consequences of disturbing the area shortly.
Buffer zone
He further added, “Several years ago I had prepared a plan for the consortium of Cyberabad builders on how to take up construction works for the area as it falls under Zone 3 of Earthquake Zone. However, for areas under G.O 111, I can straightaway say that the area is unfit for any tall heavy constructions.” The buffer zone that the team visited last week includes areas of Vattingulapalli village.
He further explained how the concretisation of the catchment areas will lead to lakhs of borewells drying up in Hyderabad in no time. “One can envision Hyderabad’s crust as a Sakinalu or Jalebi with several fissures and cracks that carry water through the rocks and granites. The source of all this water has been the two reservoirs. In fact, now, as we prepare a report on the issue, we analysed the data of the water levels in reservoirs and groundwater tables and it showed us that every time water in reservoirs fell, the groundwater levels also fell,” added Rao. Meanwhile, activist Lubna Sarwath asked the government to be open to the analysis by the People’s Committee and not destroy the historical advantages the city has.
Heat island effect to worsen
Hyderabad will see the worst of summers, losing all its advantage of being part of the Deccan plateau situated at an elevation to the mean sea level, thanks to the scrapping of the GO 111. The city will be a victim of the ‘Heat Island effect’ said Sagar Dhara, former UNEP Consultant and two-time Supreme Court Committee member. He explained that currently, the core of the city is a victim of the Heat Island effect as concrete structures tend to absorb heat. “In a few years the temperatures and heat index will rise and a temperature of 42°C will feel like 46°C because concretisation will only extend further in G.O 111 area reducing open spaces,” he said.