Thesis

With the rapid urbanization of Hyderabad Metropolis probably the worst hit are its water resources. An extensive study into their ecology is therefore vital in planning their development and effective maintenance. So far such researches in India were only isolated efforts by individuals confined to the universities or fishery centres. However, with the implementation of International Biological Programme in sixties and 'Man and Biosphere' Programme in seventies the country looks like developing much needed co-ordination and co-operation in this activity. Much, however, remains to be done as will be evidenced by meagre number of research papers published following the first by Prashad in 1916.

The work on waters around Hyderabad has been carried out by Zafar (1959-1975), Srinivasan et al (1965), Munawar (1966-1974), Seenayya (1968-1973), Venkateswarlu (1969-1970), Rao (1970), Rao (1971-1977), Azizhussain (1977), Kumar (1978), Kumar (1980), Seenayya and Zafar (1979), Zafar and Seenayya (1980), Zafar et al (1976), Kumar et al (1978). These researches covered such aspects as chemistry of water, ecology of phytoplankton, zooplankton and bacteria; progression of trophy; and, assessment of levels of organic and industrial pollution. One of the fundamental lacunae in these researches is the lack of information on primary production and the relationships amongst the various parameters of planktonic biomass.

The measurement of biomass based on computed cell volumes which is regarded as the most accurate method of assessing biomass, has also not yet been attempted. It was therefore decided to include these aspects in the present study and two lakes - Banjara and Nadimi - were chosen for this purpose. Although these are quite small in dimensions, they are the important components of the water system of the Hyderabad Development Area, which spreads over 1554 km2 and encloses such big lakes as Osman Sagar (22.1 km2), Himayat Sagar (33.2 km2). Husain Sagar (4.43 km2), Mir Alam (1.7 km2) and Faukk's Sagar (1.87 km2).

It may also be mentioned that all these major lakes are exposed to varying degrees of cultural eutrophication but the two selected for the present study were free from it to a great extent and were therefore regarded as more suitable for production studies. One of these lakes - the Banjara - is unique in being an interception between two major lakes i.e. Osman Sagar and Husain Sagar which are of great economic importance. Osman Sagar is a drinking water reservoir, which when overflows discharges into a canal that reaches Husain Sagar via Banjara Lake. Husain Sagar lying in the heart of Hyderabad Metropolis is a highly polluted lake comparable only to Lake Erie of North America. In view of its historicity and location all efforts are being made to free Husain Sagar from industrial pollution and develop it into a centre of water sport of international standard. In the scheme of its reclamation Banjara Lake can be used as a monitoring tank to initiate the desired chemical and biological changes.

Chapter 1 of the dissertation deals with the climate and geology of Hyderabad Metropolis where the lakes investigated are situated. It also gives an account of their morphology and morphometry. Chapter 2 enlists the sampling techniques and the procedures followed in the analysis of physical, chemical and biological parameters. Chapter 3 discusses the chemistry of water, the interdependence of certain physical and chemical factors and to some extent their relevance to the phytoplankton community. The distribution and periodicity at group and species levels, the relationship between total phytoplankton and biomass and the inventory of cell volumes of common plankters are given in Chapter 4.

The inferences drawn from production studies are the subject matter of Chapter 5 which also includes discussion on wet-volume, air-dry weight, oven-dry weight, loss on ignition, ash content and pigment concentrations of algal population. The central theme of Chapter 6 is ‘Trophy' which has been assessed from the overall chemistry and biology of water and the mean cell volumes of their algal populations. Chapter 7 enlists the algal species recorded from these lakes. They are arranged systematically as per classification of Smith (1950).

The literature consulted for interpretation of results is referred to in text by the name of author(s) followed by the year of publication. These are arranged in alphabetical order of the names of author(s) after Chapter 7. The dissertation concludes with Tables of complete data on chemistry, biology and primary production.

Jangam Gnana Sudha

Impact of Man on the Ecology of Two Freshwater Lakes of Hyderabad

Guide: Mary Esther Cynthia JohnsonYear: 1998Degree: Doctor of PhilosophyDepartment: Department of BotanyUniversity: Osmania University

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Summary:

Hyderabad, the Mega City, with its rapid population growth, urbanization and haphazard expansion has played havoc with its existing water bodies. In the present study two important lakes of Hyderabad metropolis i.e., lake Banjara and lake Nadimi were selected. The investigation focussed on the impact of human activity on the quality of water bodies. The surfacial water samples were collected from the two lakes once every fortnight for a period of two years. Chemical and biological parameters were estimated and they were complimented with production studies.

Chilkamari Manoranjini Kiran

Study of Ground Water Quality around Ramachandrapuram/Patancheru (Medak, A.P.) with Special Emphasis on Public Health

Guide: Mary Esther Cynthia JohnsonYear: 2001Degree: Doctor of PhilosophyDepartment: Department of BotanyUniversity: Osmania University

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Summary:

The twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, located in the Deccan Plateau, contain parts of Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy District of Andhra Pradesh. Recently number of residential colonies has come up on the outskirts as a result of industrialization. These new colonies are not provided with Municipal Water Supplies. Patancheru Industrial Development Area is about 50 km away from Hyderabad on the Bombay National Highway. Industrial area is spread over in an aerial extent of 50 sq. km. About 310 industries such as Pharmaceutical, Paint, Chemicals, Steel and Pesticides are located in the area. A common effluent treatment plant (CETP) is installed where about 110 industries dump these effluents through tankers. These effluents are processed in the CETP and the wastewater is released into the adjoining Peddavagu stream.

In the present study two ground water samples drawn by bore wells were selected which are used for drinking as well as all other domestic purposes, located between Ramachandrapuram and Patancheru (Medak Dist.). The two selected water samples were investigated for a period of two years (September 1997 to August 1999) for its quality. The water samples were collected from the selected area named as Station I and Station II distanced about two kilometer from each other. The collected samples were analyzed in the laboratory once every fortnight for a period of two years. Physical, chemical and bacteriological parameters were estimated. Standard methods from APHA (1995) and Trivedi, Goyal and Trishal (1987) were followed.

Murahari Swarna Latha

Drinking Water Quality of Hyderabad and its Effect on Health

Guide: Mary Esther Cynthia JohnsonYear: 2004Degree: Doctor of PhilosophyDepartment: Department of BotanyUniversity: Osmania University

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Summary:

The present work concentrates on the drinking water quality of Jillelaguda government school and Champapet government school of Ranga Reddy district, Andhra Pradesh. Jillelaguda and Champapet are at a distance of 3 kilometers from each other. They are about 23 kilometers and 20 kilometers from Hyderabad city respectively. The main source of water here is borewell or wells as there is no Panchayat water supply. School children mainly depend on borewell water in school for drinking water purpose but this is proven to be unfit for drinking in this study.

Kusuma Shailaja

Ecological Study on Drinking Water Quality of Hyderabad City and its Impact on the Consumer

Guide: Mary Esther Cynthia JohnsonYear: 2004Degree: Doctor of PhilosophyDepartment: Department of BotanyUniversity: Osmania University

Lingampalli Shyamala

Study of Air Pollutants and its Effect on Plants in Hyderabad City

Guide: Mary Esther Cynthia JohnsonYear: 2015Degree: Doctor of PhilosophyDepartment: Department of BotanyUniversity: Osmania University

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Summary:

Plants play an important role in monitoring and maintaining the ecological balance by actively participating in the cycling of nutrients and gases like CO2, O2 and also provide enormous leaf area for impingement absorption and accumulation of air pollutants to reduce the pollution level in the air environment. Plants are used in monitoring programme as indicators of air pollution. A bioindicator integrates its response to environment through time and reacts to all synergistic and antagonistic effects of combined pollutants and hence acts as an efficient full time monitor.

Although few studies have been done on responses of plants to Air Pollution by fumigation methods yet a lacunae exists. It was observed that no detail investigation has been taken up on the physiological & biochemical aspects in the plants exposed to Air Pollution. In order to fill this lacunae the present study was undertaken. Important Air Pollutants like SO2, NOx, RSPM, TSPM along with the physiological & biochemical parameters were monitored regularly for two years which included monthly, sesaonal, yearly variations to evaluate those plants which acts as biomonitors.

The present study was carried out at two different sites between August 2009 and July 2011.The first site was purely an industrial site, IDA Nacharam, which is located in Malkajgiri Mandal of Ranga Reddy district. While the second site is commercial, Abids, Nampally Mandal of Hyderabad district.

Asi Reddy Ramadevi

Ecological Study on the Phytoplankton of Ibrahimpatnam Lake

Guide: Mary Esther Cynthia JohnsonYear: 2019Degree: Doctor of PhilosophyDepartment: Department of BotanyUniversity: Osmania University

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Summary:

India, which is a peninsula, has been bestowed with abundant water resources in and around and is enriched with a number of inland water bodies, lakes and reservoirs spread although the country. The present work concentrates on the studies on physical chemical factors and phytoplankton are essential for the proper management of water resources and for the prediction of the potential changes in the aquatic ecosystem and protection and remediation of Ecosystems.

Two stations were identified and investigated monthly for a period of two years. In Ibrahimpatnam Lake, water samples were collected and analyzed according to the methods given by APHA (American Public Health Association, 1995). The two stations are (1) Main Bund-towards the road - Station-I, (2) Towards the housing colonies - Station-II. Both the stations are separated at a distance of 2 km. Water samples were investigated for two years i.e., April 2014 to March 2016.

Tadigiri Harini

The Impact of Urbanization on the Ecology of Durgham Cheruvu, Hyderabad

Guide: Mary Esther Cynthia JohnsonYear: 2021Degree: Doctor of PhilosophyDepartment: Department of BotanyUniversity: Osmania University

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Summary:

Lakes can be extremely sensitive to short and long term changes in the weather and so are intrinsically sensitive to climate change either through a direct effect or indirectly by effecting processes that take place in the catchment. Understanding the response of lakes to climate change is of great practical importance since year to year changes in weather patterns can influence lake water quality, the ecological succession of a particular species with conservation value and the ecological status of a lake in the terms of the Water Frame Work Directive.

The Durgham Cheruvu lake, situated in Madhapur near Hitech city, Hyderabad, Telangana was selected for this work. This lake is also known as secret lake because it is surrounded on three sides by Kaveri hills with beautiful rock formations.

The objectives were:

To monitor the water quality of Durgham Cheruvu.
To study the seasonal variations of physical and chemical parameters.
To study the seasonal variations of biological parameters.
To identify the algae in the lake.
To study the impact of tourist activities on the quality of lake water.

Upon investigation, it was found that the activities of man had a profound influence on the degradation of water quality in Durgham Cheruvu.