Work pertaining to cleaning and bio-remediation of the Hussainsagar has been initiated, with HMDA awarding it to NACOF India Limited, a public sector cooperative federation.
NACOF has won the global tenders invited for the bio-remediation of the lake water, by bidding the lowest, engineering officials from HMDA informed.
With continuing inflow of sewage and effluents, and increasing evaporation rate, the lake water starts giving out unbearable stench during summer, to arrest which the HMDA had initiated the bio-remediation efforts starting from 2016.
The contract for “technological intervention to arrest odour nuisance, algal blooms and to improve water quality” will be for a duration of six months and can be extended up to one year. Before initiating the actual process, the lake should be cleaned of floating material and weed.
Bio-remediation process to be followed by NACOF involves Effective Micro-organisms solution coupled with Bokashi mud balls, to promote the growth of microorganisms which keep multiplying and eat into the sludge and reduce Biological Oxygen Demand, while improving the dissolved oxygen.
The agency should commence the work immediately after issue of the LoA, and the process of treatment should be completed within 15 days, evidenced by arrest of odour from 16th day onwards, the conditions of tender document stipulate.
The process has a limited purpose of controlling the bad odour during summer, which has the potential to reduce the tourist traffic to the Tank Bund, Necklace Road and surrounding areas.
NACOF has a track record of carrying out the work effectively in Hussainsagar, during the year 2018. Last year, the work was awarded to another Canada-based firm, but the contract was reportedly terminated as the work was not to the satisfaction of the HMDA authorities.
During December last, the HMDA had invited tenders for the work, but reportedly had no takers. The tender notification re-issued on March 22 received six responses, officials said.