Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has issued notices to the state government, the Municipal Administration Department, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), the Lake Protection Committee, and other relevant authorities concerning the encroachment of water bodies around Hyderabad.
This action was taken after a letter from High Court Judge EV Venugopal, which initiated a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on this issue.
Judge Venugopal’s letter highlighted illegal encroachments on ponds and lakes in Hyderabad, pointing out that these activities contribute to reduced water storage capacity, which is a primary cause of flooding in many Indian cities, including Hyderabad.
He also noted that the government’s failure to protect these water bodies lessens the area’s resilience against climate change impacts, such as changes in water storage and severe weather patterns. This could disturb the ecological balance, leading to global climate issues like El Nino or La Nina events.
Following this, the High Court bench has called for a response, on the matter of encroachments of lakes and water bodies in Hyderabad, from the implicated authorities and postponed it for further proceedings.
Telangana HC orders restoration
The Telangana High Court March 13 had directed the state government to restore 13 lakes in Hyderabad and Rangareddy districts.
Granting one month’s time for the task, the court instructed the government to submit an action taken report.
Based on a report filed by two court commissioners, G Praveen Kumar and T Srikanth Reddy, who inspected the lakes in Hyderabad and Rangareddy districts, the High Court bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice J Anil Kumar asked the government to ensure no vegetable cultivation takes place at these water bodies.
List of lakes in Hyderabad requiring attention
The list of lakes located in Hyderabad and Rangareddy districts mentioned in the report is as follows:
- Durgam Cheruvu
- Sunnam Cheruvu
- Chinna Damara Cheruvu
- Medikunta
- Gosai Kunta
- Pedda Cheruvu
- Pedda Cheruvu (Gangaram)
- Pedda Cheruvu (Peerzadiguda)
- Maddela Kunta
- Nalla Cheruvu
- Ambar Cheruvu
- Chinna Narayuni Cheruvu
- Hasmathpet Lake
The court ordered the state government to take immediate steps to restore the lakes.
