HYDERABAD: The ‘floating islands’ introduced in Hyderabad’s historic Neknampur Lake last year have significantly improved the quality of water in the lake. A ‘floating island’ unit is essentially a platform designed using styrofoam, bamboo, gunny bags and coir that can also bear the weight of four persons. “We have been testing water samples. There is a significant improvement in
water quality. The floating islands have also provided a nesting habitat for birds and helped biodiversity around the lake flourish,” said State Pollution Control Board official.
The floating islands were installed close to the inlet with different layers for cleaning. First layer is of floating aquatic weed, second layer is of typhas and
phragmites, etc. The water passing through these layers is filtered so the lake can finally receive optimum fresh water.
To completely stop dumping of garbage and debris, mass scale plantation has been taken up around the lake and aerators installed in the water. The floating islands currently hold 3,500 such meticulously selected saplings.
Activist Madhulika Choudary of NGO Dhruvansh said floating islands played a vital role in absorbing high content of phosphorous and
nitrogen found in sewage water entering the lake. The bio-diversity includes 178 species of birds, 132 species of plants, 21 species of reptiles, 12 species of mammals and amphibians and 41 species of butterflies.
