The City of Lakes to the City of Cesspools

What would be more entertaining sight than a couple of birds splish-splashing at a lakeshore while you are walking on a trail? I stopped walking without my awareness and hooked on to it. Water droplets trickled high while birds took a dip and flapped their wings. It looked more beautiful than the wallpaper on my laptop. My entertainment could not stay longer – one of the birds tried to fly out – it floundered and suddenly fell. It could not flutter as wings were wrapped in a plastic bag hanging onto the nose. The bird fell into more trouble as it was trying to get rid of the plastic cover; it went far and deep into the lake and never made it home. I went past ahead to find dead fish floating in the tank. My entertainment turned into a disaster. I couldn’t walk further – I couldn’t go back either – I started thinking. 

Where’s the problem? Why is the city of lakes turning into a city of cesspools? Hyderabad had 7000 lakes at once and now has 70 only? Is there a limit to human greed and anthropogenic activities? Is there any competent authority that is environmentally conscious? Is there a sensible citizen who can think before dumping garbage and plastic into the lakes? Multiple problems lingered in my head – Cultural beliefs, socioeconomic conditions, religious customs, and available infrastructure. 

• Lakes are now a hub for drunkards and drug addicts. Some drunkards throw emptied beer bottles, broken whiskey bottles, biryani parcels covers, and leftover food wrapped in plastic in the lake while some just leave them on the track. Ragpickers collect bottles only leaving all the garbage behind. 
• Few nearby literate but uneducated residents, instead of handing over garbage to Swachh Auto Trollies, dump garbage in lakes just to save Rs 100. They bring garbage covers on their motorbikes or cars and throw them into the lake.  
• Few commercial shops that don’t care for the environment, dump heaps of garbage into the lake as it is easy for them, and nobody questions them. 
• Most people dump their pooja waste wrapped in plastic covers dump into the lakes. It’s their religious belief not to throw pooja remains in the same trash bin. It was OK once upon a time as entire pooja waste was biodegradable. Now, it’s all filled with chemicals and plastic. 
• Waste from last rite rituals is dumped into the lakes as well. Again, this ritual was OK once upon a time as it was biodegradable. 
• Construction waste goes into the lake as nobody knows where to dump it. 
• All idols made from Plaster of Paris are immersed in the lakes during most festivals. Though there are separate immersion tanks now, there’s no control over immersing idols in the lakes. 
• All the sewage flow is diverted into the lakes. There’s not much difference between stormwater drains and sewage drains.  
• The catchment area of lakes is encroached by real estate land grabbers, leaving homes inundated during a storm. 

For any occasion or any reason, anthropogenic activities are ruining lakes and devastating aquatic life. If our lakes and aquatic life can speak, they would express stern denunciation and scold noisily screaming their lungs out.   

Are there any solutions? I thought of installing a trash bin. Municipal authorities weren’t ready to install a trash bin as it might turn out to be a dumping spot for local residents. Trying to educate a litterer will always turn out to be an argument or fight.   

Ironically, all polluters and litterers think they are environmentalists or nature lovers. They share beautiful environmental messages on their social media and WhatsApp status. These online personas who mask their real persona are the biggest trouble inventors and pollute others’ minds as well. 

Why should I care or save any lake? 

Rainwater gets reaped naturally by the lake, the lowest point in the village terrain, which gets reserved for recharging the groundwater and serves as an indicator of the water table. They play an important role in maintaining and restoring the ecological balance and supporting biodiversity. 

• Groundwater contamination leads to borewells contamination. Borewell water is used in every RO water plant which serves contaminated water to Hyderabad’s residents posing serious health issues.
• Musi river contamination as the lakes are stream into the river. Musi river water is used for grass and vegetable agriculture leading to contamination of the entire food chain. Food comes contaminated on your dining table without your notice.
• The BoD (Bio-Oxygen Demand) in lakes must be 3 milligrams per liter (3mg/L) or less. However, in most lakes in the city, it is above 50mg/L making it impossible for aquatic life to survive.
• Malaria and dengue fever have the potential to spread rapidly. 
• Polluting the air with septic odor makes nearby residents and walkers around the lake choke and fall sick. 
• Birds die due to eating plastic or getting caught in plastic. 
• Depletion of groundwater level resulting in no water in borewells.
• Lakes are supposed to be controlling floods and stormwater.  But, unfortunately, colonies are inundated during a small storm.
• Lost livelihood opportunities to a large number of people around. 
• It’s a beautiful place for people to spend quality time. 

Food for thought…

Would you dump garbage in the lake, if it is your own property? Unfortunately, everyone including GHMC, HMDA, irrigation department, societies, or individuals around the lake, thinks it’s neither their property nor their responsibility. Let me remind you that it’s everyone’s property and responsibility to protect and nurture. 

Life depends on Water. Don’t litter (including pooja waste – it’s not organic anymore) and pollute our lakes.

 

DO NOT LITTER. IT MAKES OUR LAKES AND LIFE BITTER. 

Venkat Ankam and Manoj Vidiyala
– Dha3R NGO