Sewage Outflows Onto RK Beach Renew Concerns in Visakhapatnam
Untreated sewage and urban runoff spilling onto Visakhapatnam's RK Beach have revived environmental concerns, with civic authorities pledging to divert storm-water drains to treatment plants.
Untreated wastewater and urban drainage flowing directly onto Visakhapatnam's Ramakrishna (RK) Beach have revived environmental concerns among residents, morning walkers and environmental observers.
Frequent heavy spells and continuous showers, intensified by low-pressure systems forming over the Bay of Bengal, have triggered widespread urban runoff across the city. The downpours swell open storm-water drains and low-capacity underground drainage channels, causing untreated sewage and accumulated litter to breach protective barriers and spill onto prominent coastal stretches such as RK Beach.
The discoloured water cuts across the sand and empties into the Bay of Bengal, leaving dark patches along the shoreline and carrying litter across the tidal stretch.
Regular visitors to the coast have repeatedly voiced dismay over how urban runoff and sewage outlets continue to compromise the aesthetic and ecological health of the city's premier tourist destination.
Civic authorities have previously outlined plans to plug and divert major open drains to Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) under upgraded underground drainage (UGD) networks, but gaps in field-level execution remain a persistent issue.
Municipal administration leadership has stressed that rigorous interventions are vital to ensure untreated municipal waste does not breach the coastline. Citizens, however, point out that immediate countermeasures are urgently required to protect marine life and public health along the Vizag littoral zone.
GVMC superintending engineer (water supply and UGD projects) Ch. Yedukondalu said the corporation is currently working on diverting certain storm-water drains and linking them with the sewage treatment plants, adding that the issue would be resolved soon.