Osmansagar, Himayathsagar, Foxsagar: Hyderabad citizen writes to CS; seeks dam safety audit

To

Sri Somesh Kumar

Chief Secretary,

Government of Telangana,

BRKR Bhavan, Hyderabad

Sub: Dam safety concerning Osmansagar, Himayathsagar, and Foxsagar in Hyderabad.

Dear Sri Somesh Kumar Garu,

You are aware that Osmansagar was built in 1920, Himayathsagar in 1927, and Foxsagar (1876). These 3 huge water reservoirs are threatened by different factors including encroachments and pollution. There is a lot of digging, blasting, and construction activity in the vicinity of these 3 lakes. Such activity creates vibrations and disturbances in the sub-surface earth layers. During the construction of Outer Ring Road, and much later, hillocks in the watershed area of these lakes have been flattened. Vehicular movement has increased multi-fold in the last few years. Heavy vehicle movement is significant. Construction of multi-storied buildings and complexes all around the lakes has become common. , with, Power borewell digging has become rampant. The impact of such digging, drilling, blasting, and vehicle movement causes vibrations reaching underground gaps and crevices. The phenomenon of sinkholes can be a real threat. Authorities seem unconcerned citing Deccan rock formations. However, the threat to the bunds of these 3 lakes cannot be ruled out.

Construction activity near the bunds/ dam structures of these lakes is also catching up. Osmansagar has seen government-sanctioned activity. In the name of a recreational facility, trees have been felled and the area has been converted into a concretized park. These are decades-old bunds. But it also points out the need to inspect and assess these bunds. The gates of Osmansagar and Himayathsagar are good but underserviced. They are not maintained properly. Reports of leakages are a cause for concern. Deliberate water leakages to save encroached housing and commercial properties upstream of the lakes from inundation cannot be ruled out.

Shrinkage of the water spread area, siltation, and dumping of plastic and other solid waste also contribute to the pressures on the lake structures. De-siltation has not been done at all. Sudden copious rains due to climate change and increased flows due to concretization in the watershed area can bring in huge volumes of water in a shorter period. The dams can be directly hit and under pressure in a shallow silted lake when it receives such flows. These huge lakes, under normal rainfall, fill up once in 3 years or so. But this year, we have seen them filling up 3 or 4 times owing to plenty of rainfall. Rainfall increase has averaged 200 percent in the catchment areas of these lakes.

The failure of the government, irrigation department, HMWSSB, and other related agencies in releasing water from reservoirs without conducting a proper study and the impact of the opening dam shutters without following the norms of the Central Water Commission resulted in the floods, causing threat to the lives of citizens and damage to property. Failure to open dam shutters on time led to floods. This cannot happen in the future. We need a dam safety protocol for all major, medium and small dams, including bunds of big lakes in Telangana.

I request the Telangana government to constitute a State Committee on Dam Safety and a State Dam Safety Organization under the provisions of the Dam Safety Act, 2021. You might be aware that Tamil Nadu has done it already. As per National Register on Dams, there are 182 dams in Telangana, including Foxsagar in Hyderabad. Of which 116 are at a height ranging between 10 to 15 m. Another 66 dams are above 15 m in height and 3 dams are above 50 m. Telangana state requires all these water bodies given that it is in an arid region and on the Deccan plateau. Water security is an important area of concern, which can be assured by proper maintenance of existing water bodies, preserving water storage capacities, ensuring the safety of dams, and conserving biodiversity all around them. Encroachments need to be removed. Pollution has to be prevented at all costs. Waste dumping needs to be curtailed. Biodiversity has to be promoted. Soil erosion needs to be arrested. Watershed areas have to be demarcated and conserved. Constant monitoring of dams, revision of urban development policy measures, review of land use pattern of a declared, specific zone of conservation around dams, soil conservation measures, and promotion of appropriate livelihoods are some of the steps that are integral to the safety and security of water bodies.

In conclusion, I request the Government of Telangana:

1. Constitute a State Committee on Dam Safety and also create a Dam Safety Organisation, with the sufficient provision of funds.

2. Develop a Dam safety protocol. This can be approved after sufficient public consultations.

3. Develop a Disaster Management Programme for all Dams, involving local people and civil society.

4. Develop a legal framework to protect big lakes and dams, and their structures which address threats to the dam structures and waters in the dams.

5. Create water zones around these lakes and water bodies, with proper guidelines and transparent development processes.

6. Order an inspection of all dams to assess safety, identify threats to the safety and sustainability of dams and formulate an action plan to nullify those threats.

With best regards

Dr. Narasimha Reddy Donthi

Public Policy Expert

E-mail: nreddy.donthi22@gmail.com

Copy to:

Director, Dam Safety Rehabilitation Directorate, Central Dam Safety Organization, Central Water Commission, 3rd Floor, New Library Building, R. K. Puram, New Delhi – 110066. Email: dir-drip-cwc@nic.inTo

Sri Somesh Kumar

Chief Secretary,

Government of Telangana,

BRKR Bhavan, Hyderabad

Sub: Dam safety concerning Osmansagar, Himayathsagar, and Foxsagar in Hyderabad.

Dear Sri Somesh Kumar Garu,

You are aware that Osmansagar was built in 1920, Himayathsagar in 1927, and Foxsagar (1876). These 3 huge water reservoirs are threatened by different factors including encroachments and pollution. There is a lot of digging, blasting, and construction activity in the vicinity of these 3 lakes. Such activity creates vibrations and disturbances in the sub-surface earth layers. During the construction of Outer Ring Road, and much later, hillocks in the watershed area of these lakes have been flattened. Vehicular movement has increased multi-fold in the last few years. Heavy vehicle movement is significant. Construction of multi-storied buildings and complexes all around the lakes has become common. , with, Power borewell digging has become rampant. The impact of such digging, drilling, blasting, and vehicle movement causes vibrations reaching underground gaps and crevices. The phenomenon of sinkholes can be a real threat. Authorities seem unconcerned citing Deccan rock formations. However, the threat to the bunds of these 3 lakes cannot be ruled out.

Construction activity near the bunds/ dam structures of these lakes is also catching up. Osmansagar has seen government-sanctioned activity. In the name of a recreational facility, trees have been felled and the area has been converted into a concretized park. These are decades-old bunds. But it also points out the need to inspect and assess these bunds. The gates of Osmansagar and Himayathsagar are good but underserviced. They are not maintained properly. Reports of leakages are a cause for concern. Deliberate water leakages to save encroached housing and commercial properties upstream of the lakes from inundation cannot be ruled out.

Shrinkage of the water spread area, siltation, and dumping of plastic and other solid waste also contribute to the pressures on the lake structures. De-siltation has not been done at all. Sudden copious rains due to climate change and increased flows due to concretization in the watershed area can bring in huge volumes of water in a shorter period. The dams can be directly hit and under pressure in a shallow silted lake when it receives such flows. These huge lakes, under normal rainfall, fill up once in 3 years or so. But this year, we have seen them filling up 3 or 4 times owing to plenty of rainfall. Rainfall increase has averaged 200 percent in the catchment areas of these lakes.

The failure of the government, irrigation department, HMWSSB, and other related agencies in releasing water from reservoirs without conducting a proper study and the impact of the opening dam shutters without following the norms of the Central Water Commission resulted in the floods, causing threat to the lives of citizens and damage to property. Failure to open dam shutters on time led to floods. This cannot happen in the future. We need a dam safety protocol for all major, medium and small dams, including bunds of big lakes in Telangana.

I request the Telangana government to constitute a State Committee on Dam Safety and a State Dam Safety Organization under the provisions of the Dam Safety Act, 2021. You might be aware that Tamil Nadu has done it already. As per National Register on Dams, there are 182 dams in Telangana, including Foxsagar in Hyderabad. Of which 116 are at a height ranging between 10 to 15 m. Another 66 dams are above 15 m in height and 3 dams are above 50 m. Telangana state requires all these water bodies given that it is in an arid region and on the Deccan plateau. Water security is an important area of concern, which can be assured by proper maintenance of existing water bodies, preserving water storage capacities, ensuring the safety of dams, and conserving biodiversity all around them. Encroachments need to be removed. Pollution has to be prevented at all costs. Waste dumping needs to be curtailed. Biodiversity has to be promoted. Soil erosion needs to be arrested. Watershed areas have to be demarcated and conserved. Constant monitoring of dams, revision of urban development policy measures, review of land use pattern of a declared, specific zone of conservation around dams, soil conservation measures, and promotion of appropriate livelihoods are some of the steps that are integral to the safety and security of water bodies.

In conclusion, I request the Government of Telangana:

1. Constitute a State Committee on Dam Safety and also create a Dam Safety Organisation, with the sufficient provision of funds.

2. Develop a Dam safety protocol. This can be approved after sufficient public consultations.

3. Develop a Disaster Management Programme for all Dams, involving local people and civil society.

4. Develop a legal framework to protect big lakes and dams, and their structures which address threats to the dam structures and waters in the dams.

5. Create water zones around these lakes and water bodies, with proper guidelines and transparent development processes.

6. Order an inspection of all dams to assess safety, identify threats to the safety and sustainability of dams and formulate an action plan to nullify those threats.

With best regards

Dr. Narasimha Reddy Donthi

Public Policy Expert

E-mail: nreddy.donthi22@gmail.com

Copy to:

Director, Dam Safety Rehabilitation Directorate, Central Dam Safety Organization, Central Water Commission, 3rd Floor, New Library Building, R. K. Puram, New Delhi – 110066. Email: dir-drip-cwc@nic.in

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