Hyderabad's pictureque Durgam Cheruvu lake water has antidepressants, painkillers, sewage and even cocaine

A once pristine gem in Hyderabad's landscape, Durgam Cheruvu, is now grappling with a perilous decline, as a recent study has unveiled a disturbing cocktail of pollutants infusing its waters. The shocking presence of antidepressants, painkillers, anti-obesity medications, and even cocaine in the lake, underscores a dire situation that demands swift attention.

As per a ToI report, researchers from Mahindra University's civil engineering departments and scholars from the Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, collaborated on a study titled 'Non-Target Screening Of Organic Micropollutants in Durgam Cheruvu Lake'. In March, water samples were collected from various sites across the lake, and the subsequent analysis yielded a disconcerting reality.

Led by Sai Krishna Duddupudi from Mahindra University, the team identified a staggering 183 compounds of organic micropollutants. This extensive list included pharmaceuticals, pesticides, hormones, UV filters, cyanotoxins, and more. Of these, pharmaceuticals emerged as the dominant contaminant, constituting 50 per cent of the concentration, followed by metabolites and herbicides.


Remarkably, medicines used for severe depression, insomnia, anti-obesity drugs, and even traces of antibiotics were discovered, underscoring the alarming extent of contamination. Further exacerbating the situation, evidence of cocaine was also detected in the water, posing significant health and environmental risks.

The study pinpointed potential sources of these pollutants, highlighting human consumption and effluent discharge by pharmaceutical units. The discharge of domestic wastewater from surrounding areas further contributed to the contamination.

Environmentalists in the city are deeply concerned, urging urgent action to address this crisis. City resident and public policy experts emphasized the limitations of current sewage treatment methods in removing these harmful organic micro-pollutants. He stressed that the prevalence of these compounds not only jeopardizes the water but can also lead to groundwater contamination and air pollution.

In response to these findings, experts recommend a comprehensive approach, urging hospitals and residential complexes around the lake to implement stringent waste treatment measures.