Trimulgherry lake cesspool of filth,Cantonment Board rapped

HYDERABAD: Following complaints from those residing near Trimulgherry lake, the Telangana Pollution Control Board (TPCB) has issued a notice to the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SBC) directing it to take immediate action to stop polluting the lake. After receiving complaints from some residents, PCB officials inspected the lake and its surroundings and found that untreated sewage generated by the surrounding colonies was being discharged into the lake.
“The sewage discharge is resulting in surface water pollution and causing inconvenience to locals. The groundwater is getting polluted, mosquito menace has increased and some people have also been affected due to waterborne diseases,” said Trimulgherry resident N Venkata Ramana, who filed the complaint and whose house is located just near the lake.

The worst affected colonies are Malani Enclave, Surya Enclave, Sainagar Colony, Indian Airlines Colony, Padmanabha Colony, among others.

The sewage water from the culvert running from Lal Bazaar, Trimulgherry village and its adjoining colonies, Padmanabha Colony, Indian Airlines Colony, Surya Avenue, Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Colony, Srinagar Colony, Malani Enclave is let into the lake without treating it.

As per norms, sewage water should first be treated by sewage treatment plants (STPs) and only then should it be discharged into water bodies. For long, the SCB had been denying that the lake was under its jurisdiction and had been maintaining that it was the responsibility of the tourism department. However,the tourism department refuted this claim last year when residents approached them with their woes.

Even after repeated attempts by the residents living close to the lake, SCB authorities failed to take any action to rejuvenate the lake or construct a ring sewer line to divert the sewage from the lake. “Firstly, letting sewage water into the lake is a criminal activity. Disciplinary action should be initiated against those responsible for it. Since the land does not belong to SCB, how can they let sewage into this lake and now claim innocence. The lake has turned into a dumping yard and a breeding ground for mosquitoes, making it a preferred hunting ground for pigs and dumping ground for dead animals,” said a senior citizen.