The much-awaited exercise to dredge Hussainsagar has begun at the Picket nala confluence point and almost 1,200 cubic metre of sediment has been scooped in the last two days.
Though the work was launched by Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy on December 7 it actually started two days ago after the drying aspects were examined and different technologies experimented.
The dredged material has been put out to dry at a temporary site in Sanjeevaiah Park and after a drying period of ten days, will be shifted to Jawaharnagar dump yard. “We have already identified existing quarry pits at the dump yard and the dried sediment will be carted under the monitoring of the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board,” said an official of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA).
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The dredging at Picket nala point is expected to be completed in 110 days after which the work at Banjara nala confluence followed by Balkapur nala will be taken up. Dredging at Kukatpally nala confluence has been referred to the Environment Protection Training and Research Institute (EPTRI) after the high presence of hazardous elements was detected.
“We are in touch with the EPTRI about the Kukatpally nala and a decision on where to dump the material scooped from this confluence point will be taken in consultation with the institute,” the official said.
In a year-long project, the HMDA plans to dredge sediment to the tune of 10 lakh cubic metres, around 12 lakh tonne, from the mouth of these four nalas that flow into Hussainsagar.
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The exercise has been taken up as part of the Hussainsagar Lake and Catchment Area Improvement Project taken up with an assistance of around Rs.370 crore from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).