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?
- Telangana’s Chief Minister, A. Revanth Reddy, proposed an ambitious plan to redevelop Hyderabad’s Musi riverfront.
- The plan aims to replicate London’s Thames riverfront.
- Features include high rises, promenades, shopping complexes, and multiple bridges.
What is the current state of the Musi River?
- 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.
- 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?
- Forced Evictions: Around 15,000 structures in Old City were demolished, displacing long-term residents, including blue-collar workers like ragpickers and construction workers.
- Disruption of Livelihoods: Relocation plans propose high-rises in far-off locations, impacting the livelihoods of evictees.
- Lack of Consultation: The government claims consultations occurred, but evictees dispute this.
- 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.
- 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.
