Musi river is a tributary of river Krishna and originates from Anantagiri hills. The river flows through the city of Hyderabad and is a part of its history and heritage. The water of the river down stream of Gandipet reservoir is used for irrigation. The increased population of Hyderabad has led to the decreased availability of water for human consumption and irrigation requirements (Ramesh, 2003).

Vegetables and para grass cultivation in and around the city fetches good price to the farmer. The cost benefit ratio drives the farmer to practice farming. In the recent years, however, the depletion of major inputs like irrigation water is forcing farmers to adopt unsustainable measures to improve productivity like the usage of water without considering its suitability for irrigation. Cultivation of vegetable crops and para grass with such water is leading to concerns of maintaining human health as pollutants could accumulate in the crops or grasses grown.

The Musi river, these days has been reduced to a small flow. The river is dumped with under and untreated sewage and industrial effluents causing pollution (Bhupal Raj et al., 1997). Heavy metals are being accumulated to toxic levels in soils irrigated with this water. Eventually, vegetables and grasses are accumulating pollutants grown on these soils (Srikanth et al, 1992) which are mainly the source of greens in and around Hyderabad. Maximum localisation of heavy metals was found in edible portions of vegetables and weeds irrigated with polluted waters (Barman and Lal, 1994). Thus, the pollutants make enter into food chain, causing serious concerns. Bio magnification of heavy metals could prove harmful in the long run and could effect various trophic levels (Jain, 1978). Such accumulation of heavy metals needs to be quantified. Hence, the present investigation was taken up with the objective to geo-reference the points of drains into Musi river and estimate pH, EC and the level of micronutrients and heavy metals in water, soil and para grass samples of musi river bed.