Panic in Musi areas as water released from Osman Sagar, Himayath Sagar

HYDERABAD: Authorities have discharged water from Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar, twin reservoirs of Hyderabad, sending citizens dwelling near the Musi River scurrying.

The gates of both the reservoirs were thrown open, and a huge amount of water was released into the downstream. The frantic scramble through the swift move has put many people living along the Musi floodplains in a panic frenzy, especially with demolitions and forced evictions presently under the beautification of Musi.

Heavy rains have pushed the reservoirs up to capacity levels in the past weeks. Initial gate openings have been able to handle it, but lately, five to six gates were simultaneously opened on both reservoirs, which caused a big increase in water flowing into the Musi River. Many residents feel that increased water levels may cause floods, taking them to an even worse place.

The residents now view this water release as part of a more general effort by the government led by Revanth Reddy to flush out people from the Musi floodplain areas. The danger of sudden flooding would add another dimension of fear for most since threats of eviction have already started. Demolitions carried out without sufficient resettlement plans have already driven many families from their homes. However, after resisting a forced eviction, they face their second trial-flooding.

Various people of Shankar Nagar and other floodplain areas have vented their ire deeply over the time and magnitude of the water release. Some have argued that it is a strategy of the government to dislodge its traditional inhabitants from homes with bitter moves at notorious times to suit the government's designs. For that matter, they have also brought complaints against the "design" in the guise of releasing water that has become unsafe and unkempt living-in conditions. Since bulldozers have come in with no proper antecedent notice that the area would be exposed to such uncertainties, the possibility of recurrence of the same flood has risen to unnerving levels for these uncertainties of the lives of the government's hands.

While the authorities have defended such actions, saying they are necessary to regulate water, affected residents have criticised the resettlement plans as inappropriate. The demolitions are taken to beautify the Musi River, but the cost has been too heavy on the poor communities residing within the river's vicinity.