Pollution at Hyderabad's Hussain Sagar gets worse, lake loses ability to 'self-purify'

Everyone in Hyderabad is aware of the pollution in its Hussain Sagar lake, but things are going downhill at an alarming rate, as a recent research has reportedly revealed that the lake has lost its natural ability to 'self-purify' itself due to heavy load of contaminants.

Writing for the Times of India, Syed Akbar reported that the lake's 'Putrefaction', which is the process of decay of organic matter, begins around April with stench rising in the summer. However, the lake is already stinking this year by February.

The report suggests that this is due to chemical laden sediments at the bottom of the lake, and a reduction in oxygen content in the water.

"This is a major environmental problem. Early stench reveals the lake is dead even before onset of summer. It shows a heavy pollution load in the lake. Hussainsagar can no longer take contaminants.Early stench is also a warning that the lake needs immediate conservation to protect it for future generations,"environmental and RTI activist V Satyanarayana told the TOI.

In December last year,  researchers from the National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Warangal in collaboration with others, took samples of the water and soil of the Lake before and after the immersion of Ganesh idols and published their findings.

According to researchers, the pollution had reached such alarming levels, that heavy metals had seeped up to three metres into the lake bed.

The water sample had a Total dissolved solids (TDS) level of 1,126, while anything above 150 TDS is considered unfit for human consumption.

The lake, originally built in 1563, is a sorry sight today, with the stench of industrial effluents strong in the air. It was built over 1,600 hectares, now stands at a pitiful 4.4 sq km.

At present, the lake currently has four nalas through which effluents are released into the water body - the Kukatpally nala, Balkapur nala, Banjara nala and the Picket nala. 

The pollution of the lake is only on the rise.


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