Secunderabad: Stagnant drain turns health hazard for Uppal residents

SECUNDERABAD: The 1.5 kilometre-long water channel near National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) on Uppal road in Habsiguda that was built to drain out rainwater into Musi has turned into a major water stagnation point.
Over 600 households living in 15 residential colonies located around the drain have raised alarm over the increasing mosquito menace in the area on account of stagnation of the drain water.Residents have urged authorities to desilt and clean the drain before the unhealthy situation leads to an outbreak of diseases in the area.
“The water channel has turned into a breeding ground for mosquitoes. We fear the outbreak of vector borne diseases. I request GHMC to desilt the drain at the earliest,” said Suman Sharma, resident of Kalyanpur colony.
According to GHMC officials, the civic body is taking up special programs to control the mosquito population. As part of the program, anti-larval operations will be carried out in the locality, every eight days, officials said.
“We are taking up a localised, pointed program near the water channel and in other parts of the city. Bio-remediation and anti-larval operations with drones are also being taken up in the city,” said GHMC commissioner DS Lokesh Kumar.
Adding to the health hazard problem, is the unbearable stench emanating from the garbage being dumped in the drain, rue residents. Locals say that some parties are also discharging sewage into the water channel, further polluting it. “The practise of dumping garbage in the nala has been occurring for many years now. The rancid smell emanating from the drain is unbearable,” said R Pratap, a resident of Raghavendra Nagar Colony.
Some residents took matter into their own hands and laid slabs on the drain to curb the stench and control the mosquito menace. GHMC said that this has placed a roadblock on their desilting efforts. “To desilt the nala, these slabs have to be demolished. As of today, we are unable to press the desilting machines into service due to the slabs,” said a GHMC official.
The water channel is located near the NGRI compound and runs along Seetarama Colony, Teachers Colony, Raghavendra Nagar Colony, Laxmi Narayana Colony in addition to ten other colonies. The drain was built to ensure that water inside NGRI drains out in a properly.