Ganesh immersions over, but lakes choking in arsenic & toxic waste

HYDERABAD: Environmentalists on Monday said idol immersions have turned water quality in city lakes from bad to worse. As per samples collected by Telangana State Pollution Control Board (TSPCB), average biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) ranged from 30 to 40 in Hussainsagar. A former TSPCB official, said BOD level doubled every year after immersion. “After every immersion BOD level goes up to 80 to 100,” he said.TSPCB will release samples results within a week.
Prof K Purushotham Reddy said even if values were moderate it would be due to rain and water entering Hussainsagar from different channels. He said water bodies become highly polluted after idol immersions. “Lakes, already filled with sewage water, are polluted further,” said Reddy.
Environmentalist Vijay Kumar said levels of arsenic, lead and mercury increase in water where idols get immersed. As per the norms of Indian Council of Medical Research and Bureau of Indian Standards, there is increased concentration of total suspended solids, nitrates, phosphates, heavy metals after immersions, he said.
Activists are also upset over poor water quality at Saroornagar Lake, Ramanthapur Lake, Neknampur Lake, Hasmathpet lake and Safilguda Lake.
Across the city, 80,000 idols were immersed at 35 locations. At Hussainsagar alone, 15,500 idols were immersed. Close to 34,886 idols were immersed in 23 artificial ponds. “The guidelines prescribe temporary immersion points with synthetic liners and ban concretizing immersion ponds. It is ironic that authorities have allowed immersions at heart of these lakes,” said Lubna Sarwath of Save Our Urban Lakes. “Constructing artificial ponds, that too by government agencies, in buffer zone of lakes is a gross violation of norms,” said Sarwath.