మూసీ పునరుజ్జీవం: ప్రణాళిక ఏమిటి, ఖర్చు ఎంత, చర్చ ఎందుకు?

Musi River rejuvenation explained: The plan, the cost and the debate

The city of Hyderabad was born on the banks of the Musi River. When Quli Qutub Shah built the Charminar in 1591, the Musi flowed with clean water. But today, the name of the river brings to mind stench, sewage, and mosquitoes. A plan to revive this river is now a big topic of discussion in Telangana.

How did Musi become a sewer?

The Musi, which originates in the Anantagiri hills near Vikarabad, flows through Hyderabad and joins the Krishna River in Nalgonda district. The Usman Sagar and Himayat Sagar reservoirs, built after the 1908 floods, have reduced the natural flow of the river in the city. As the city grew, sewage from homes and industries entered the river untreated. Reports by pollution control agencies have repeatedly stated that the Musi is one of the most polluted rivers in the country.

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After passing through the city, this polluted water is used to grow rice, vegetables, and animal fodder on thousands of acres in Nalgonda, Yadadri, and Bhuvanagiri districts. There are concerns about the health of farmers and the quality of crops due to this water. This means that the Musi problem is not just a Hyderabad problem.

Past attempts

There have been several plans in the past to clean up the Musi. Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) have been built. In 2017, the Musi Riverfront Development Corporation was formed. Construction of new STPs is ongoing. However, the river has not been completely transformed.

New plan — what's up?

The Telangana government has ambitiously undertaken the "Moosi Revival Project" from 2024. Highlights of what the government is saying:

• Developing approximately 55 kilometers of river basin in the city.

• Treating all sewage that goes into the river.

• Bringing Godavari waters and filling the twin reservoirs, ensuring clean water flow in the river.

• Parks, walkways, cultural centers, and transportation facilities along the river.

• Study of river restoration models in other cities around the world.

Cost — the main question

There have been huge estimates in the news about the cost of this project. The opposition is questioning how such a huge amount will be raised and what kind of burden it will put on the state's finances. The government says that the project will be implemented in phases and funds will be raised from various financial institutions.

Displaced people — a humanitarian perspective

Thousands of families have been living in the riverbed and buffer zone for decades. Most of them are poor and daily wage laborers. Surveys and news of evictions have caused concern among those families. While the government says it will provide double-bedroom houses and rehabilitation to the displaced, the victims say their livelihood and children's education will be taken away. The opposition has protested on this issue.

What do the experts say?

Many environmental experts agree on one thing — before beautifying the river, the real solution is to stop sewage from entering the river. They warn that without STPs operating at full capacity, strict control over industrial waste, removal of encroachments on the canals, and flood control — beautification alone will not yield results.

Conclusion

Reviving the Musi is essential for Hyderabad's future. But it must be done transparently, with public participation, and with justice for the displaced. Reviving a river is not just about restoring water; it is also about restoring the lives on its banks.

Photo: Kavali Chandrakanth KCK / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)