Summer impact: Borewells run dry in GHMC parks

Borewells in several GHMC parks have dried up due to groundwater depletion, affecting greenery maintenance during peak summer. The civic body has deployed tankers and water bowls for animals while vertical gardens and park vegetation face growing stress.

Hyderabad: Borewells in several parks in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits have run dry, affecting the regular watering of the greenery and plants in these parks.

According to GHMC Urban Biodiversity (UBD) wing officials, over 500 to 700 parks, including small, medium, and major parks, are spread across six zones in the GHMC limits. The borewells are not able to support the daily watering, particularly in the harsh summer conditions, which is a concern for the condition of vegetation.

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The officials told ‘Telangana Today’ that ahead of the summer, some of the parks like those located in Vijayanagar Colony, Langar Houz, Golconda, and Goshamahal in central zone, had the borewells drying up in the past three months due to groundwater depletion. Officials said they have been managing with available water sources in parks, including water bodies within parks and other sources, to protect the greenery and avoid disruption in regular watering arrangements.

Officials said it has been a decades-old practice for the UBD wing to prepare a summer action plan in March, but it was delayed due to the GHMC trifurcation process this time. The UBD hired 30 tankers, one for each circle, through an e-tender process, and each tanker had a capacity of 10,000 litres for watering to be done till summer season winds up. The bidder had to fill the tanker and water the centre medians.

Watering of centre medians across 69 stretches spanning 70 km in all six zones was taken up during early morning hours, according to a senior official. Meanwhile, several vertical gardens installed under flyovers in the city face the risk of drying up due to a lack of watering, affecting the aesthetic look of the flyover pillars.

Water bowls for birds:

As temperatures continue to rise, the GHMC veterinary wing has arranged 2,850 water bowls in parks to quench the thirst of birds and stray dogs.

Visitors were urged to avoid disturbing the bowls and to allow birds and stray dogs to drink freely. Regarding bowl maintenance, a senior GHMC Veterinary official said the workers are cleaning regularly and keeping them full of water.