Page:Modern Hyderabad (Deccan).djvu/96

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
84
MODERN HYDERABAD.

more. And now Hyderabad is to have yet another great tank, and one that will most happily commemorate the accession of H. H. Mir Osman Ali Khan to the throne of his forefathers.

After the terrible flood of 1908, which was the highest and most disastrous that had occurred in Hyderabad for at least three- quarters of a century, and which was caused by the overflow of the river Musi, that generally runs in a small, turgid stream below the city wall, the government of His Highness the late Nizam engaged the services of Mr. M. Visvesvaraya, b.a., c.e., m.inst.c.e., Superintending Engineer, P.W.D., Bombay (now Dewan of Mysore), to advise and assist in the reconstruction of the city and to devise measures for the prevention of the recurrence of such a terrible catastrophe. He was ably assisted by Mr. Ahmed Ali, f.c.h., now secretary to government, P. W. D., Hyderabad, and after much investigation and deliberation these gentlemen gave it as their opinion that the immunity of Hyderabad city from flood must come from the construction of flood catchment areas in the basin above the city, and they proposed to construct two such reser-