The Hindu : HUDA clean-up plan for Hussainsagar

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 19, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad

HUDA clean-up plan for Hussainsagar

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD June 18. The Hyderabad Urban Development Authority (HUDA) proposes to take up cleaning of the Hussainsagar Lake at an estimated cost of Rs.150 crores to Rs.200 crores. The technology being used by the North American Lake Management Association is likely to be used for the purpose.

A tertiary sewerage treatment plant (STP) of 20-million litre capacity is to be established near Kukatpally for the purpose. It would ensure that no sewage enters the lake, Lakshmi Parthasarathy, HUDA Vice-Chairperson and Managing Director, stated here on Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference at the conclusion of the three-day international workshop on `Urban lakes -- conservation and management' organised by the HUDA, she stated that the amount would be raised either through institutional finance, a donor agency, sale of land, or bonds though the HUDA was yet to decide on the issue.

She said the workshop adopted a `Hyderabad declaration', which provides for restoration of 50 per cent of the 200 highly polluted lakes by the year 2006. Hundred per cent restoration is to be achieved by 2009.

For this, appropriate local management bodies should be established, which would independently manage the systems. The financial sustainability of the systems would be in place by 2005. The declaration also envisaged publication on the Internet the boundaries of all lakes in the city to prevent further encroachments. Ms. Parthasarathy said the restoration work of 87 of these lakes would cost Rs.140 crores. These lakes were potential spots of eco-tourism, where resorts could be set up. The authority was ready to hand over these spots to private parties for monitoring their maintenance.

She said over 170 delegates attended the workshop, including 14 from other countries.The Principal Secretary, Municipal Administration and Urban Development, A.K. Goyal, the Executive Director (Urban Forestry), HUDA, K. Bhoopal Reddy, a consultant from Bangalore, R.Venkatraman, and a representative of the World Water Institute (headed by social activist, Anna Hazare), Pune, Vasundara Pangara, were present.

Ms. Vasundara said, now that a suitable technology was available developing countries could approach India for sharing the low-cost solution to problems of lake pollution.

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