Hussain Sagar water turns yellow, stench spreads
HYDERABAD: The water quality at Hussain Sagar has deteriorated in recent weeks, with large stretches turning yellow and emitting a foul smell, raising concern among visitors and residents.
Discolouration seen along key stretches
Coloured water was observed between the Telangana Secretariat and Lumbini Park stretch, starting from Tank Bund and in front of Hotel Marriott, officials of the Buddha Purnima Project Authority (BPPA) confirmed. “In certain stretches of Hussain Sagar, the water colour has turned yellowish over the past couple of weeks,” a BPPA official said.
Weather change, pollution cited as causes
Officials attributed the change largely to seasonal weather conditions. With the onset of summer and a gradual rise in temperatures after winter, the lake water tends to turn yellowish, sometimes greenish and occasionally black, the official explained. The discolouration has led to a stench, causing inconvenience to visitors and commuters along Necklace Road, NTR Marg, the Secretariat, Tank Bund and up to Buddha Bhavan.
“The stench rises during peak summer,” the official said, adding that untreated industrial effluents, sewage inflows, heavy siltation and chemical waste remain the main reasons for the poor water quality.
Bioremediation underway to control odour
To address the problem, BPPA has been using a bioremediation process involving enzyme solutions to break down organic pollutants and reduce foul odour. “We are using effective microorganisms, a liquid blend of beneficial microbes such as lactic acid bacteria, yeasts and photosynthetic bacteria, to dilute the water colour and control the stench,” the official said.
Currently, one tanker with a capacity of 3,000 litres is being used, making 10 to 12 trips to sprinkle the solution on affected stretches. “During peak summer, we will deploy two tankers and increase the trips to 20 to 25,” the official added.
The bioremediation drive began in the second week of the season and will continue through the summer.
