Efforts on to reduce pollution of Hussainsagar: APPCB

Hyderabad, March 5 : The Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) on Wednesday informed that several steps are being taken to prevent the discharge of industrial effluents into Kukatpally nallah and its feeder drain ultimately reaching Husssainsagar Lake.

The steps include day-to-day monitoring of the production, effluent generation & effluent transportation to M/s JETL; Intensified surveillance by night patrolling teams since three months; Increased surveillance in Jeedimetla & Balanagar industrial estates during day time by posting an officer in the cadre of Junior Scientific Officer exclusively for monitoring these industrial estates in the day time; Conducting meetings with BDMA & Other related organizations at Head Office level, Zonal Level and also at Regional Office level and issuing directions / closure orders to the defaulting industries who are caught red handed.

As a part of the night surveillance, samples are collected regularly from Begumpet nallah near Hyderabad Public School which is located just upstream of the confluence point of Kukatpally nallah into Husssainsagar Lake. On examining the analysis reports of the samples collected during November 2013, December 2013 & January 2014 the trends pertaining to the levels of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) & Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) which are the basic indices of pollution are indicating that the flow in the Kukatpally nallah is sewage, the APPCB said in a press release here.

The Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) is averaging 250.0 mg/l and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) is averaging 85 mg/l indicating that these two parameters are well within the normal untreated sewage standards clearly establishing the fact that entry of industrial effluents into Hussainsagar Lake through Kukatpally nallah is prevented effectively. The Board would continue its efforts to ensure the prevention of illegal discharge of industrial effluents into Kukatpally nallah and its feeder drains for protection of Hussainsagar Lake, the APPCB said.  INN