Hyderabad: A city-based athlete has raised the alarm over the deteriorating condition of the Durgam Cheruvu lake, saying the stench from the water body has grown so unbearable that it is driving away joggers and fitness enthusiasts who regularly use the adjoining park.
Santosh Mallareddi posted a video on Instagram on Thursday, June 18, showing sections of the lake visibly contaminated by waste, with a fellow jogger seen covering his nose while passing by.
“This is such a beautiful lake and there is this suffocating smell which is making people die here,” he said in the clip.
Mallareddi said the park had been well maintained in the past but had deteriorated sharply in recent times. He urged the Telangana government to clean the lake and suggested introducing an entry fee for the park to generate funds for its upkeep.
“If the government doesn’t take steps to maintain the lake and the park, it is demotivating people who want to stay fit,” he said.
Social media backs the call
The post drew a strong response online, with most users backing his appeal. One user called on the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) to inspect the lake and initiate decontamination, noting that the stench was also causing health hazards and mosquito breeding for residents in the surrounding areas.
Another said the entry fee idea was worth considering if it helped maintain the space, while a third linked the lake’s decline to urban development around it, including the shutting of feeder channels and sewage dumping. A fourth said they had stopped running there entirely.
“So sad to see animals die there inside water,” the user wrote.
Mallareddi warned that continued neglect would have broader environmental consequences and reiterated his appeal for immediate action.
Follow on Twitter | Edited by Mohammed Baleegh | | 
