The BJP’s Malkajgiri MP, Eatala Rajender, has requested the Centre to allocate funds for cleaning the Musi River, establish sewage treatment plants and to supply safe drinking water.
Speaking on the demand for grants to the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti on Friday in the Lok Sabha, Eatala said that with rapid urbanisation, state governments are struggling to provide adequate infrastructure and services to meet the needs of the growing population. It is commendable that the Centre has allocated thousands of crores to provide sanitation and safe drinking water facilities through the Smart Cities Mission and AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation), he said.
“In the same spirit, I would like to bring to your attention the urgent needs of Malkajgiri, one of the fastest growing
cities in Telangana which is my constituency. This constituency has become a major urban centre where people from different cities and states come for livelihood. The rapidly growing population has put immense pressure on existing infrastructure, making it difficult for local authorities to meet the increasing demand. I urge the Ministry to allocate special funds for sanitation projects and drinking water projects,” Eatala said.
“I would like to bring to your attention the environmental crisis that the city is facing due to the pollution of lakes in Hyderabad with sewage. The city was once known as the city of lakes. Its water bodies like Hussain Sagar have become polluted due to sewage discharge. This has led to pollution that has destroyed aquatic ecosystems and killed fish and other biodiversity. The contaminated water is coming out, polluting groundwater, causing water-borne diseases and air pollution,” he added.
Eatala requested the Union Jal Shakti Minister to allocate funds for the revitalization of these lakes, diversion of sewage, development of sewage treatment infrastructure and increasing the capacity of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) so that only treated water enters lakes. There is also a need to divert untreated sewage away from the lakes through modern sewage management systems, he said.
“I would also like to bring to your attention the serious pollution affecting the Musi River in Hyderabad, which is severely polluted due to uncontrolled discharge of industrial waste and chemical effluents. This river, which was once the lifeblood of the region, now poses serious environmental and health hazards due to toxic waste and untreated sewage flows. This has led to severe water pollution near the Musi rendering the river unfit for use. Groundwater pollution also contaminates drinking water sources. People are falling sick due to the toxic air and water-borne diseases,” he said.
Eatala requested the Union Ministry to allocate adequate funds and take appropriate steps to upgrade the Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) along the river. He also requested that appropriate steps should be taken to ensure that hazardous waste does not enter the river.
A clean, revitalised Musi River is essential for environmental sustainability, groundwater recharge and the overall well-being of the residents of Hyderabad. Therefore, I once again request you to take urgent action and prioritize this matter, he said.
Newly residential colonies and slums are facing an acute shortage of drinking water. As the population is increasing, the demand for clean and safe water is increasing, but the inadequate supply and the contamination of groundwater are making thousands of people suffer, he said.
As the Centre is actively supporting water projects, I request you to provide financial assistance to Telangana to ensure access to clean drinking water for all, he said.
