More troubles ahead for Hyderabad this monsoon

HYDERABAD: The city is expected to receive heavy showers till September 17 -at least that's what the India Meteorological Department forecast indicates.But while this might come as good news for Hyderabad's fast depleting water table, residents aren't particularly thrilled. Looming large over them is the fear of increased water-logging on the roads, coupled with overflowing nalas and inundated homes.
Though Telangana's deputy chief minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali on Thursday announced that the government has already alerted the National Disaster Response force (NDRF) to be on guard for any rainrelated incidents, it has failed to allay the concerns of Hyderabadis.
In fact, lashing out at the municipal corporation, residents said the situation would not have worsened to such an extent had the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) been on the vigil and duly done its duty of desilting the city's nalas.
“After every rainfall the road is completely submerged in water overflowing from the nala. It not only makes it difficult for us to move around but also brings with it an unbearable stench,“ complained G Narsing Yadav, a resident of Yellareddyguda.
In places like Kavadiguda, L B Nagar, Osmania University , A S Rao Nagar, ECIL and Tarnaka, the situation is worse. From the roads, the sewage water has found its way into the houses of people, damaging their properties and making it impossible for them to continue their normal routine.
“All the contaminated water has flowed into our homes. Apart from the stink, it has also led to the breeding of flies and mosquitoes,“ rued L B Nagar resident Syamsunder Prasad, adding: “Though we bring this matter to the notice of GHMC every year, officials pay no heed to our grievances.“
However, municipal authorities squarely put the blame on the residents.“They keep dumping garbage into the nalas. If they stop doing that, the sewage water will not enter their homes,“ retorted K Suresh Kumar, chief engineer, GHMC. Further, in the corporation's defence he claimed: “We started desilting work in May and June itself. We have already cleared a stretch of 750 km in the city.“
But even experts aren't convinced. And their primary concern is the worsening condition of Hyderabad's roads. “Allowing water to stagnate on the roads will surely deteriorate their condition. The GHMC should have collaborated with the Met department to predict these heavy showers and accordingly taken up work prior to the onset of the monsoon,“ said Prof Sreenivasa Chary , dean, Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI).
Offering a solution for this problem, he said: “The GHMC can plan a simple catchment area under the roads where the rain water can be stored and later released into the sewerage lines. It is at least 10 times cheaper than relaying or carpeting a road.“