The twin reservoirs Himayat Sagar and Osman Sagar and their catchment areas are under threat, because the protective GO111 has been revoked in Hyderabad. 

Revoking GO111 can have serious consequences for Hyderabad, potentially leading to climate issues like floods and heatwaves, jeopardizing our precious water resources, biodiversity and heritage spaces. 

We all need to come together to restore GO111 and save the pride of Hyderabad. 

Background

Moosi river is the lifeline of Hyderabad. Himayat Sagar and Osman Sagar reservoirs were built on the Moosi river during the Nizams time to help Hyderabad with flood control after the devastating Hyderabad floods of 1908. 

These reservoirs came to serve as an important source for drinking water for Hyderabad, where water flowed and collected naturally with the aid of gravity. 

GO111 was brought in as a government order in 1996, to protect the precious twin reservoirs and their catchment area. The order restricted any industrial activity in a 10 km radius of the reservoirs in order to prevent any pollution of potable water. It stated that 90 per cent of the land should be used for conservation only.  

But now, GO111 Para 3 has been revoked and GO 69 has been brought in place instead, stating that the reservoirs are no longer used for drinking water needs of Hyderabad. 

Here’s why we strongly believe GO111 must not be revoked:

Revoking GO111 can have serious consequences for Hyderabad. 

1. Since the catchment area of the reservoirs would be concretized, water would not be retained in the soil where it is beneficial. Instead, during rains, water would runoff and potentially lead to more devastating floods. 

2. The twin reservoirs have played an important role in helping Hyderabad be self-sufficient in water to some extent at least. 

Why should we depend solely on far-off external sources of water when we can be self-reliant with water from our own reservoirs? What happens when those far-off water sources dry up? 

3. Himayat Sagar and Osman Sagar are a part of a centuries-old water system, which harnesses water naturally with the help of gravity. We need to conserve our rich heritage, which has helped us Hyderabadis immensely over the years.

4. Groundwater sources may be depleted if the catchment area of the reservoirs is concretized. 

Water needs soil and green spaces, to seep into the ground and recharge groundwater, which won’t happen if the area is concretized. Large numbers of people in Hyderabad rely on groundwater through borewells, etc. But these groundwater resources would be impacted if GO111 is revoked.

5. Hyderabad may become much hotter than it already is, as water won’t be retained in the ground to counter the heat. Heatwaves would become more common.

6. The twin reservoirs are habitats where rich biodiversity thrives today. We would be putting all our fellow species under threat, if their habitat is disrupted.

Himayat Sagar is a welcome space for 256 species of birds, while Osman Sagar has 285 species of birds. In fact, the number of bird species in Himayat Sagar are the second-highest in Telangana! Several migratory birds come from Europe, Central Asia, Africa and from North India. It is a pride for Telangana to welcome these visitors. We need to protect these spaces for our feathered friends and fellow beings.

The solution!

Restore GO111. Ensure Himayat Sagar, Osman Sagar and their catchment areas are protected. 

Water is our life force. It’s time we realize that.

We need to restore GO111 to ensure the twin reservoirs, their catchment areas and the rich biodiversity are conserved. 

Let us Save our Sagars! They are precious heritage spaces, with immense value for Hyderabad's climate, biodiversity and our life. 

Let's protect Hyderabad ki Shaan - Himayat aur Osman!