Letter to Managing Director, HMWSSB: Fill Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar to Full Storage Capacity

Hyderabad  26 September 2020

To

The Managing Director

HMWSSB, Hyderabad

Subject: 

1)  Fill Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar to Full Storage Capacity at FTL

2)  Restore twin water reservoirs to its Full Storage Capacity

Reference: 

*హిమాయత్ సాగర్* *వాటర్ లెవెల్స్ అప్డేట్*  రంగారెడ్డిరాజేంద్రనగర్ పరిధి హిమాయత్ సాగర్  కు పెరుగుతున్న వరద ఉదృతిపూర్తి స్థాయి నీటిమట్టం 1763.50 అడుగులు కాగా ప్రస్తుత నీటిమట్టం 1754.9 అడుగులు.మరో 9 అడుగుల మేర వరద నీరు వస్తే గేట్లు ఓపెన్ చేసే అవకాశంచివరగా 2010 లో  సాగర్  గేట్లు ఎత్తిన అధికారులు.

With reference to the above, it is observed from this report on hyderabadwater.gov.in  that the  storage capacity of both Himayat Sagar and Osman Sagar reservoirs are not full.

We have been told by senior officials that both reservoirs have been designed to take 2 times more than their catchment capacity. In which case and even otherwise, with the twin reservoirs not at their full storage levels, there should be no need to open the gates even if the water is showing at 1754.9 feet. Please explain.

Where as the storage capacity at 1763.50 ft FTL in TMC of Himayat Sagar is 2.967 and storage capacity at 1790.00 ft FTL in TMC of Osman Sagar is 3.900,  the present water holding in Himayat Sagar is 1.198 and that of Osman Sagar is 0.521 as given under head ‘Today’s Capacity’ in TMC.  With not even half of storage capacity at FTL in either of the reservoirs the HMWSSB is answerable where the copious rains are travelling to. 

CM of Telangana has said that he does not want Godavari waters to travel to sea and get “wasted” then why are waters of catchment of Himayat Sagar and Osman Sagar being allowed to run off, other than in Hyderabad drinking water reservoirs.  Please answer.

One reason why the FTL levels are only being taken into consideration could be that the storage capacity has been reduced due to encroachments and due to silt deposits. Please clarify.

Official maps dated 2013 of both the reservoirs show numerous vanity encroachments inside the reservoirs. We have been representing you and following up with you, to start with evicting ORO sports village right inside the FTL of Osman Sagar, but you remain on wrong side of law.

FTL geo-coordinates have not been given to the first undersigned in spite of RTIs and discussions nor placed in public domain.

When even the FTL boundaries of both the reservoirs are not geo-mapped how is HMWSSB in a position to determine that the reservoirs are at full storage capacity at FTL and how are decisions taken to allow precious drinking water to flow downstream?

Please clarify the above and do not release water until it is confirmed that the storage capacity as mentioned in your website is indeed full at FTL that is 2.967 tmc at 1763.5 ft and 3.900 tmc at 1790.000 ft in Himayat Sagar and Osman Sagar respectively. 

We demand ethical work from you,  as you have been entrusted with the duty of fulfilling basic human need of water to masses all through the year.   
As always we assure you of our full coordination in public interest.

Best,

Dr Lubna Sarwath, State General Secretary, Socialist Party (India)

Dr Jasveen Jairath, Founder-Convenor, Save Our Urban Lakes.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *