Hyderabad lakes cry for attention

Infested with heavy growth of hyacinth, algae, they are emanating foul odours particularly during the summer season

Hyderabad: Several city lakes, which once thrived with life, have become a dire reflection of official apathy, poor maintenance and pollution, and are now crying for attention.

Some such lakes – Rangadhamuni near IDPL, Malkam Cheruvu and Film Nagar lake in the city – are infested with heavy growth of hyacinth and algae, reflecting the terrible condition of the water bodies. Such growth decreases the dissolved oxygen in the water bodies thereby affecting aquatic life.

Given thick algal bloom in these lakes, water once in pristine condition has now turned murky, emanating foul odours particularly during the summer season. Hit by officials apathy and citizens neglect, these lakes appears to have been left without proper maintenance that deteriorated the condition.

The large growth of hyacinth and thick algae is an example of poor maintenance and lack of efforts to protect these crucial water bodies that help conserve the urban environment.

This has choked the aquatic life of these lakes.

Making things worse, a large amount of plastic waste – bags and bottles – littered around the banks further polluting the lakes. The residents living around these lakes have called for urgent interventions from the civic authorities to restore the vital water bodies to their natural state before they go for the worst.