Hyderabad: In response to the Telangana government’s decision to revoke GO-111, environmental and water conservation activists have united to fight against this move. Preparations are underway to challenge the government’s decision in the Supreme Court, with the aim of preserving water bodies and promoting environmental conservation.
Renowned environmental activist Rajendra Singh strongly opposed the government’s decision and emphasized the need to take immediate steps to protect water bodies. If necessary measures are not taken, he stated that a petition would be filed in the Supreme Court. Various environmental organizations have joined forces in a collective campaign to restore GO-111.
Singh highlighted that GO-111 had safeguarded 84 villages in the Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar areas. Allowing construction activities not only poses a threat to the water bodies but also increases the risk of flooding in the catchment area. He criticized the Telangana government for succumbing to pressure from the real estate mafia and making an irresponsible decision that would adversely affect the surrounding villages and the population of Hyderabad.
GO-111 was enacted 27 years ago with the sole purpose of protecting Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar, which supply water to Hyderabad. Construction activities in the irrigation zone could lead to the drying up of these reservoirs, rendering them vulnerable.
The government argues that Hyderabad now relies on water from the Krishna and Godavari rivers, thus making the ancient reservoirs unnecessary. However, Rajendra Singh asserts that the revocation of GO-111 poses a genuine threat to the water reservoirs. He deemed the government’s proposal to link the reservoirs with the Kaleshwaram project as “ridiculous” and pointed out the impracticality of transferring water from Kaleshwaram to the city’s reservoirs even in the next 100 years.
Meanwhile, the Hyderabad Social Media Forum strongly criticized the scrapping of GO-111, stating that it would not only impact Hyderabad but also the people of Telangana at large. The forum voiced concerns about the potential consequences of this decision on the region’s water resources and environment.
As environmental activists gear up to challenge the scrapping of GO-111 in the Supreme Court, the fate of water bodies and the conservation efforts in Telangana hangs in the balance.
