HYDERABAD: Complaints are raised against land being illegally occupied for building apartments within the boundaries of Amber Cheruvu, also known as Pragati Nagar lake, in Kukatpally. By referring to past and present images of the lake on Google maps, residents and activists allege that civic officials are turning a blind eye to illegal land encroachment within the boundaries of the lake, and that the lake is steadily shrinking.
The Pragati Nagar Lake is a beautiful water body, which is home to many migratory birds in winters and to many resident species. This urban lake suffers the same fate as most of the lakes in and around Hyderabad are caught in encroachments and dumping of garbage in the lake and its surroundings.
The rapidly declining green cover, loss of habitat for various species of flora and fauna in the lake, the rising levels of pollution and the badly managed garbage disposal system are the major hazards threatening the lakes as well as the whole environment.
D.V. Raghava Goud, resident of HMT Hills in Kukatpally, said, “If we look at the images on Google Maps of Pragati Lake, it gives a clear perspective to the extent to which water bodies have been eaten into over the years. The lands around the lake are illegally occupied lands and even the road near the lake is unauthorized and illegal, encroached over the water bodies.”
He adds, “Under RTI Act, we got replies from officials of North Tanks divisions, the tehsildar of Balnagar and Quthbullapur, and Circle 14 GHMC Kukatpally. They have stated that the road laid through the water body is both unauthorized and illegal. The full tank level map issued by North Tank division, the village revenue map issued by the department of survey Narayanaguda, and the original maps issued by the Survey of India Habsiguda substantiate that there was no such road in this ancient and biggest lake of Ranga Reddy district.”
Lubna Sarwath, co-convener of the Save Our Urban Lakes (SOUL) Hyderabad, said encroachments have increased a lot in Hyderabad lakes due to which the lakes are shrinking. “A major reason is most of the lakes in the city lack catchment area research dedicated to the study of water channels through which these lakes are fed. The lake study will really help in their conservation.”
She adds, “The government is not interested in doing anything for the conservation of the lakes. We have lost so much of the lake area just because of the craze for constructing walking tracks and cycling tracks. None of the lakes has gone through a catchment area research. Until these researches are done, all the efforts will be in vain”, she said.
However, Shekhar Reddy, superintendent engineer for Hyderabad lakes, denied this, and said, There were illegal constructions in the lake’s surroundings, but right now there are no such constructions. Instead, the authorities are helping in the cleaning of the lakes. Even the residents are coming forward to remove the water hyacinth in the Pragathi lakes. A welfare association is formed and we are taking care of the lakes very closely, so we can ensure there will be no further encroachments.”
