The state government of Telangana issued a government order GO Ms No. 69 on 20 th April 2022
which will remove some restrictions that were imposed under GO Ms No. 111 which was issued
on 8 th March 1996. GO 111 was issued to protect the catchment areas of twin lakes Osman Sagar
& Himayat Sagar reservoirs which were one of the primary sources of drinking water for the city
of Hyderabad.
GO 69 stated that considering the fact that the drinking water supply for Hyderabad is no longer
dependent on water from Osman Sagar & Himayat Sagar, the state govt. has decided to lift the
restrictions imposed under paragraph 3 of GO 111, subject to the condition that the water quality
of these 2 lake reservoirs is not impacted in any way & all efforts be initiated to improve their
water quality. The efforts to improve water quality of the 2 lakes will include installation of
Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), making diversion channels to let treated water off without
letting it back into the 2 reservoirs.
The efforts will also include maintenance of ground water quality, minimisation of pollution
through agricultural surface run-off & many other measures to ensure quality of water is
improved. The state govt. has constituted a committee to frame the guidelines & detailed
regulations for conservation of the reservoirs, the committee is headed by Chief Secretary of
state, Special Chief Secretary (MA & UD), Special Chief Secretary (Finance), Special Chief
Secretary (I & CAD), Managing Director of HMWS&SB, Member Secretary of TSPCB &
Director of Planning HMDA.
The Terms of Reference (ToR) of the Committee include suggesting measures for protection and
prevention of pollution to these two reservoirs, suggesting broad guidelines for zoning including
earmarking of green zones, modalities for development of trunk infrastructure in this area, means
of resource mobilisation for taking up trunk infrastructure i.e., roads, major drains, STPs,
diversion drains etc. The committee will also work on suggestions for proper institutional
framework to take up infrastructure & regulate development in the GO 111 belt.
The committee will also formulate any necessary regulatory measure to be insisted on while
granting any layout/building permissions & any changes that would be required in the existing
legal framework to effectively regulate development in the area. The orders also said that while
finalising the guidelines, detailed regulations must be ensured that not only proper STPs are in
place and also diversion drains are in place to carry treated water without letting sewage water
into the two reservoirs.
The Committee would look into ways and means to raise resources to meet the infrastructure
requirements in this area as well. The order added that the Committee while keeping the broad
primary objective of protecting the quality of two water bodies, should work on the above-
mentioned ToR and submit its report to the government at the earliest.