Southern States - Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad   

Water Conservation Mission to issue notices to householders

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD Nov. 27. The Hyderabad District Water Conservation Mission which met here on Wednesday decided to issue notices to households on construction of rainwater conservation/harvesting structures.

Chaired by the Commercial Taxes Minister, K.Vijayarama Rao, the meeting noted poor response to the concept from households and asked the District Collector to initiate steps in this direction immediately. The local body would construct these structures and recover the cost from house-owners.

The data compiled from 100 observation wells has indicated a substantial drop in groundwater levels. The Minister asked the officials to draw an action plan on recharging the groundwater at four places, Kukatpally, Marredpally, Punjagutta and S.R.Nagar, where the levels have gone below 20 metres. "We need to draw this action plan scientifically so that it can be replicated in other areas later,'' he said.

Mr.Vijayarama Rao instructed officials that eight identified lakes be converted into drinking water sources within a year's time. The meeting which reviewed the progress on `Neeru Meeru' works was told by the Director (Technical), D.Ramakrishna, that water in these lakes was not to the standard permissible limits for raw water as per chemical analysis and hence presently could not be used for drinking purpose.

Mr.Vijayarama Rao suggested that a proposal be made to the Government to advise the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad on giving permission for apartments and complexes only on obtaining a `No Objection Certificate' for drilling borewell from the District Collector.

P.R.Reddy, Scientist, National Remote Sensing Agency, agreed to provide his technical team with necessary equipments for monitoring borewells.

The HMWSSB Managing Director, M.G.Gopal, Joint Collector, Hyderabad, I.S.S.Nagesh and others participated in the deliberations.

Cut in water supply

In view of sinking levels in reservoirs that serve the city, the HMWSSB has announced a 12 per cent cut in daily water supply with effect from December 1. This is third instance in the last two months that water supplies have been curtailed. Starting with a reduction of 10 per cent in daily water supplies from October 16, the board increased it to 15 per cent on November 16. With the latest decision, the city would be getting 27 per cent less of water compared to October.

Announcing this at the meeting, Mr. Vijayarama Rao, who is also Mission Chairman, appealed people to conserve water. Admitting that levels in Osmansagar, Himayatsagar and Singur had sunk badly, Mr.Vijayarama Rao said in the absence of fresh inflows, the present reserves would be `just enough' till June next year.

Mr. Gopal said more borewells would be sunk apart from pressing into service additional tankers to cover the city.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Water Conservation Mission to issue notices to householders
• HMWSSB official in ACB net
• Ensure compliance with building plan, residents told
• Birth, death certificates now in no time
• Threat to Durgam Cheruvu

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu