GO 69 issued to remove restrictions of GO 111

Hyderabad: The State government on Wednesday issued the GO Ms No.69, removing certain restrictions that were imposed under GO Ms 111 in 1996, to protect the catchment area of the Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar reservoirs, which were the main source of drinking water to Hyderabad at that time.

The order said considering the fact that Hyderabad city’s drinking water requirements are no longer dependent on Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar, the State government has decided to remove the restrictions imposed under paragraph 3 of GO 111, subject to condition that the water quality of these two reservoirs is not impacted in any manner, and all efforts will be initiated to improve their water quality.

The efforts would include installation of decentralised Sewerage Treatments Plants (STPs) at various locations, construction of diversion channels for carrying the treated water without letting it into these two reservoirs, maintenance of ground water quality, minimisation of pollution through agricultural surface run-off into these two reservoirs and any other measures deemed appropriate to ensure the quality of water.

To frame the guidelines and detailed regulations, the government has also constituted a Committee headed by the Chief Secretary and comprising Special Chief Secretary (MA&UD), Special Chief Secretary (Finance), Special Chief Secretary (I&CAD), Managing Director (HMWS&SB), Member Secretary (TSPCB) and Director (Plng) HMDA.

The Terms of Reference (ToR) of the Committee include suggesting measures for protection and prevention of pollution to these two reservoirs, suggesting broad guidelines for zoning including earmarking of green zones, modalities for development of trunk infrastructure in this area, means of resource mobilisation for taking up trunk infrastructure i.e., roads, major drains, STPs, diversion drains etc.

The Committee will also suggest appropriate institutional framework to take up infrastructure and regulate development in this area, necessary regulatory measures to be insisted while granting any layout / building permissions and changes if any to be made in the existing legal framework to effectively regulate development in this area.

The orders also said that while finalising the guidelines, detailed regulations must be ensured that not only proper STPs are in place and also diversion drains are in place to carry treated water without letting sewage water into the two reservoirs. The Committee would look into ways and means to raise resources to meet the infrastructure requirements in this area as well.

The order added that the Committee while keeping the broad primary objective of protecting the quality of two water bodies, should work on the above mentioned ToR and submit its report to the government at the earliest.

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