Hyderabad: Many Hyderabadis want a stop to immersions in the more than four-hundred-year-old Hussainsagar Lake in addition to improvements in the lake’s water quality. A recent survey of visitors to the lake and residents around it found that a majority of them didn’t mind paying a higher entry fee for the surrounding parks if the water quality improved.

The study, undertaken by researchers from the University of Hyderabad and South Asian Network for Development and Environmental Economics (SANDEE), interviewed visitors to the surrounding parks and residents away from the lake in all the five zones of the city. About 87.88 per cent of the people said that the lake’s water was of “very bad quality” and they would consider visiting the lake if it improved, even though it meant a hike in ticket prices.

The survey also found that the number of visitors to Lumbini Park and NTR Gardens had fallen marginally over the last few years while the Sanjeevaiah Park managed to retain its visitors. “The major improvements suggested by visitors were water quality of the lake, prevention of statue immersions, banning of plastic carry bags, installation of close circuit cameras, more trash cans and restrooms and increase in seating arrangements,” Dr Prajna Paramita Mishra, assistant professor, School of Economics, University of Hyderabad said in the study.

However, researchers said that there was a sharp difference between the study’s on site and off site respondents. While regular visitors said they would visit again if there were improvements in the environs, a fewer number of residents of the city said they would visit the lake even if there were no substantial improvements in the water body.