We deserve a proper water bodies board to save the Musi river from further indiscriminate urbanization, land encroachment, lax oversight, and industrial waste dumping by implementing systems such as harsher land grabbing laws, floating trash barriers, and the installation of wastewater treatments in industrial sectors as well as at each Nalla’s discharge, etc.

The Musi river is one of the major tributaries of Krishna. The river originates in Ananthagiri hills at an altitude of 4660m, It was used for settlement, trading, freshwater, and transport activities, it was once the primary source of water for Hyderabad but due to indiscriminate urbanization and lack of planning, management, and intervention, the river became a receptacle of untreated domestic and industrial waste dumping. It was estimated that nearly 350 MLD of polluted water and sewage originating from Hyderabad and Secunderabad flow into the river. The Musi is now critically polluted and laced with antibiotics making it a giant Petri dish for antimicrobial resistance. Recent studies have even shown superbugs and drug-resistant superbugs which are a serious threat to people as they are defiant to almost every known antibiotic

The drinking water in the entire area is brought from distant places; which means the prices of water are exceptionally high, hence causing an economic toll on the citizens residing near there. There are at least 30 villages with a population of 1,00,000 that are directly affected in this region. The quality of water in Musi is beyond description; it causes various diseases and health issues such as the proliferation of toxic algae species. The proliferation of toxic algae species also impacts the health of both wildlife and humans. When these algae flourish because of nutrient pollution in the water, they produce toxins that poison aquatic organisms, but it’s still not too late to protect the Musi from further damage.

Systems such as the installation of sewage treatment plants at each Nalla can result in cleaner waters because sewage treatment plants aim to remove contaminants from sewage to produce an effluent that is suitable for discharge to the surrounding environment or intended reuse, thereby preventing water pollution. Industrial units are also required to install effluent treatment plants (ETPs) and treat their effluents in compliance with the stipulated environmental standards before discharging them into river and water bodies. Another system or process to implement is the tightening of land grabbing laws because land encroachment can lead to the obstruction of the freshwater flow.

Not only do we need to save the Musi for sources of freshwater and transportation, we need to save the Musi because if we continue to allow this to happen to the Musi not only are we risking the death of the river but our own. Contaminated water can transmit diseases such as diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and polio. Contaminated drinking water is estimated to cause 485 000 diarrhoeal deaths each year.

While there are organizations that aim to help the river Musi they don’t seem to be making a lot of progress. All the posters and headlines published so far seem to be propaganda. A proper water bodies board can implement processes like floating barriers, fences, xeriscaping, and more.

I want to create a change together, by signing this petition you are bringing us one step closer to raising the government’s awareness and finally getting the river this wonderful city we call home deserves to enjoy.