The Musi river that starts in the Ananthagiri hills and flows through Hyderabad used to be a source of livelihood for the people of the city but now, it has become synonymous with sewage. The mighty river of the past has now been contaminated and it needs to be saved.

The Musi river was once a beautiful river that Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah would cross to meet a local dancer named Bhagmati that he had fallen in love with. But now, industrial sewage and waste have contaminated the river, making it a pool of sewage; a glaring difference from the Musi of the past. The water from the Musi is used for drinking by the locals as well as for agriculture. But, the polluted water is contaminating vegetables and groundwater. This is causing harm to the produce as well as to the people who work in the fields. This polluted water is harming not only the people but also the aquatic life that lives in the river. The shrinkage of the Musi is also a problem that is caused by a number of reasons. One of which is encroachments as a large part of the river bed has been occupied by settlements. Most of the river is made up of sewage and wastewater and this river which was once indispensable to the city of Hyderabad has become nothing more than a sewage canal.

Although in recent years, the government has made efforts to rejuvenate some parts of the river, it is not enough to make up for the decades of neglect. It is important that the government takes initiative to place sewage treatment plants in order to ensure that the water that is reaching the river is safe. Actions should be taken against encroachments that are contributing to the shrinkage of the river. It is essential that the water of the river is cleaned in order to prevent diseases. Also, the people living along the river’s banks must be made aware of the river’s issues as most locals do not care about the long-term effects and will continue to dispose of their garbage in the river.

The Musi is a river with a beautiful past that must be protected and it is our responsibility as citizens to do our part in saving the Musi river.