Water mixed with sewage being released into Hyderabad’s Kapra lake to facilitate Ganesh immersion, say residents

GHMC allegedly releases sewage into Kapra Lake for Ganesh idol immersion, undoing sewage diversion efforts.

Officials from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) are allegedly releasing rainwater mixed with sewage into Kapra Lake to facilitate Ganesh idol immersion, thereby undoing a great deal of effort and investments towards sewage diversion.

Multiple residents of Sainikpuri and Kapra localities alleged that the municipal authorities are trying to ensure a sufficient amount of water in the lake by diverting rainwater mixed with untreated sewage into it. “The lake was nearly dry a couple of days ago, but now it is filled to the brim. It is not fresh water, as can be understood from the stench,” said Ramana Reddy, who resides 300 metres away from the lake.

A number of residents alleged that sewage mixed flows have been diverted into the lake to facilitate the immersion of Ganesh idols after the nine-day festivities are over, post the Ganesh Chaturthi on September 7.

Efforts down the drain

Kapra Lake was rejuvenated with the efforts of a group of volunteers from Sainikpuri and other areas, who frequently organise drives to clean up the lake.

Manognya Reddy, a volunteer from the Kapra Lake Revival Group, was witness to an inspection by GHMC officials, the area’s legislator and Ganesh Utsav Committee members a few days ago. Within no time after the inspection, the lake was filled up from one-fourth of its capacity to three-fourths, she said.

Kapra Lake receives its inflows from the surplus channel of the Nagireddy Kunta in Yapral, apart from the road run-off from Eshwaripuri colony and other localities nearby.