Ganesha to sink in Hussain Sagar

DESARAJU SURYA
Hyderabad: It would be business as usual in the Andhra Pradesh capital this Vinayaka Chaviti season.
Thousands of Ganesh idols -- of all hues and sizes -- will find their way into Hussain Sagar this year too even as the Hyderabad Urban Development Authority will be taking up the Rs 316 crore Hussain Sagar Lake and Catchment Area Improvement Project, with a loan from the Japan Bank for International Co-operation.
The project is intended to clean up the rotting lake and lessen the pollution caused by industrial effluents, domestic sewerage and, of course, immersion of Ganesh idols. Last year, an estimated 25,000 idols of varying sizes were immersed in Hussain Sagar after Vinayaka Chaviti.
With Huda finally launching the lake improvement project this year after a delay of two years, everyone hoped that idol immersion would not be permitted in Hussain Sagar. But no alternative arrangements have been made to rid the Hussain Sagar of its annual quota of muck and hence the immersion process will continue in the main lake itself.
"The lake improvement project will begin with the construction of sewerage treatment plants at various locations from where sewerage and other effulents flow into Hussain Sagar. The main emphasis will be to reduce the discharge of effluents and sewerage into the lake and contain pollution," a senior Huda official pointed out.
The Huda planned to develop segregated ponds in about nine water bodies in and around Hyderabad exclusively for immersion of Ganesh idols. This proposal was in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Central Pollution Control Board.A segregated immersion pond in 1.2 acres was built in the Safilguda lake using a coffer dam, also known as mini Tankbund, in 2006 as a pilot project exclusively for Ganesh idol immersion. More than 1100 huge idols of Lord Ganesha were immersed in the special pond apart from many smaller ones. Special arrangements were made to drain out the water after the immersion process, making it easy for clearing the debris.
The experiment was extended to Saroornagar lake, Rangadhamuni Cheruvu and Hasmathpet Cheruvu last year.
The Huda wanted to make similar arrangements in other lakes such as Mir Alam tank, Amber Cheruvu, Patan Cheruvu, Langar Houz Lake and Kapra. Besides, a portion of Hussainsagar in front of KIMS Hospital on the Minister's Road was also proposed to be converted into a segregated pond for idol immersion.
But so far the proposals have remained only on paper. "These ponds were proposed to be built as part of the lake improvement project but court cases have hampered our efforts," Buddha Purnima Project Authority officer-on-special-duty N Chandramohan Reddy said.
The Huda has been fighting cases for sometime now against those who encroached many lakes around the city. Till the litigations are cleared, the Huda will not be in a position to take up any works on the lakes. Hence the delay in construction of segregated immersion ponds, according to official sources.