Hyderabad: The Telangana Legal Service Authority (TLSA) has taken up the task of conservation of the Musi river and other lakes in and around the city with the initiative of the High Court Judge Justice Raghavendra Singh Chauhan, who is also the executive chairman of the TLSA.
After observing the threat to the ecology of the city with the encroachments along the riverbed of the Musi and illegal construction in the lakes, Justice Chauhan directed all the departments related to the protection of lakes and the authorities concerned of the city administration to file a status report on action taken by them in this regard.
On Saturday, the TLSA convened a meeting headed by Justice Chauhan on the subject “Conservation of Lakes and Development of Musi River” with Chief Secretary S.K. Joshi, DGP M. Mahendar Reddy, commissioners Anjani Kumar, Mahesh Bhagwat, and V.C. Sajjanar, and GHMC chief M. Dana Kishore.
The meeting was also attended by the Irrigation Principal Secretary, the Managing Director of Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation, the State Pollution Control Board Member Secretary, the Director General of EPTRI, the collectors of Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy, Medchal, and Sangareddy districts, the Managing Director of Musi Riverfront Development Board, and Chief Engineers of the Minor Irrigation Department and the HMDA.
During the course of their discussion, authorities of the various departments explained the difficulties in proceeding with the conservation of the lakes and the development of the Musi river. Mr Kishore has assured that they will remove the encroachments in stretches along the side of the Musi river.
The GHMC brought to the notice of the judge that 405 civil cases filed by them against encroachers are pending before the various courts.
The judge made it clear that trained mediators will help in settling the pending matters in Lok Adalats. Justice Chauhan directed all the officials of the various departments to make sure to work on this issue and to present the ground reality by the next meeting.
