Redevelopment plan for the Musi River

Source: The post redevelopment plan for the Musi River has been created, based on the article “The Musi’s clean-up: The ‘revitalisation plan’ flows away from fixing the issue of severe pollution” published in “The Hindu” on 9th November 2024

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper1- society-developmental issues

Context: The article discusses Telangana’s Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s plan to redevelop Hyderabad’s polluted Musi riverfront. It highlights evictions of long-time residents, inadequate rehabilitation, lack of consultation, and failure to address pollution sources like untreated sewage and industrial effluents.

What is the redevelopment plan for the Musi River?

1. Telangana’s Chief Minister, A. Revanth Reddy, proposed an ambitious plan to redevelop Hyderabad’s Musi riverfront.
2. The plan aims to replicate London’s Thames riverfront.
3. Features include high rises, promenades, shopping complexes, and multiple bridges.

What is the current state of the Musi River?

1. The Musi River is heavily polluted and toxic. It carries 2,000 million litres of sewage daily, with over 60% untreated. Industrial effluents, mainly from Hyderabad’s generic drug industry, worsen the pollution.
2. People living along its banks include about one lakh residents, some on dry riverbeds and others on the floodplain buffer zone.

What are the Concerns with the Government’s Approach?

1. Forced Evictions: Around 15,000 structures in Old City were demolished, displacing long-term residents, including blue-collar workers like ragpickers and construction workers.
2. Disruption of Livelihoods: Relocation plans propose high-rises in far-off locations, impacting the livelihoods of evictees.
3. Lack of Consultation: The government claims consultations occurred, but evictees dispute this.
4. Failure to Address Pollution: The plan overlooks key issues like 2,000 million litres of daily sewage flow, 60% untreated, and industrial effluents from the pharmaceutical sector.
5. Cosmetic Focus: Redevelopment prioritizes aesthetics over permanent solutions, replicating issues seen in Urban rivers like Chennai’s Cooum, Delhi’s Yamuna, and Kolkata’s Hooghly.

Question for practice:

Examine the challenges and concerns associated with the Telangana government’s redevelopment plan for the Musi Riverfront.