Hyderabad may have to spend Rs 500 crore per year to pump water if it completely shifts its dependence from Godavari and Krishna rivers to Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar reservoirs. This will also result in the release of 3-4 lakh tonnes of carbon dioxide into the air annually. Scientists Dr B Ramalingeshwara Rao, Dr K Babu Rao, and Prof Sagar Dhara released a joint report urging the government to avoid the problems faced by other large cities. They suggested treating the reservoirs as “living beings” with rights and responsibilities, and compensating farmers for their role in sequestering CO2. They also criticized the State government for removing protective measures for the reservoirs and called for an act against ecocide in India.
The scientists pointed out that if Hyderabad solely relies on the Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar reservoirs for drinking water, it would cost Rs 500 crore per year to pump the water. Additionally, this would lead to the release of 3-4 lakh tonnes of carbon dioxide into the air annually.
Dr B Ramalingeshwara Rao, Dr K Babu Rao, and Prof Sagar Dhara released a joint report emphasizing the monetary and ecological implications of this shift. They urged the government to avoid the problems faced by other large cities and proposed treating the reservoirs as “living beings” with rights and responsibilities.
Prof Sagar Dhara suggested enacting a legislative act or government resolution to define the rights and responsibilities of the reservoirs and their catchment areas. He also proposed establishing a mechanism for enforcing these rights and responsibilities.
To compensate farmers and farm workers in the area for sequestering CO2 and crop yield losses caused by pollution from Hyderabad city, Prof Sagar Dhara suggested implementing a carbon sequestration compensation program. This program would pay farmers and farm workers a fee per acre for sequestering CO2 in their soil and provide financial assistance for crop yield losses.
Dr K Babu Rao criticized the State government for removing protective measures for the reservoirs. He mentioned that the government’s GO Ms 69 in 2022 eliminated the protection provided by GO Ms 111 of 1996 for the catchment area buffer zone of Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar reservoirs.
Dr B Ramalingeshwara Rao explained that the large water bodies of the reservoirs contribute to the pleasant temperature in Hyderabad. If these reservoirs are damaged, it will not only dry out the borewells but also create atmospheric hazards.
The scientists highlighted that several nations have ratified domestic ecocide laws and called for India to enact an act against ecocide. They believe that joining the global effort to prevent ecocide is crucial.
